


You Know What My Name Is

by KittyT



Category: Descendants (Disney Movies)
Genre: Beast Ben, Ben finally realizes the horror of the Isle, Bisexual Harry Hook, Bisexual Uma (Disney), Blood and Torture, Child Neglect, Demigod Uma (Disney), Dom Uma (Disney), Dom/sub, F/M, Graphic Violence, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Isle of the Lost (Disney) is a Terrible Place, Light Bondage, M/M, Mal isn't the girl Ben thought she was, Mal isn't well-liked, Mentions of Murder, Mentions of alcoholism, Mild Cursing, Minor Ben/Mal (Disney: Descendants), Multi, Murder, Pansexual Ben, Pirate Uma (Disney), Polyamory, Protective Harry Hook, Sea Witch Uma, Slow Romance, Switch Ben, Switch Harry, dark themes, mentions of abuse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-10
Updated: 2021-01-11
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:27:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 29,383
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26784406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KittyT/pseuds/KittyT
Summary: (Starts with Descendants 2) We all know the story. Mal runs home to the Isle and Ben chases after her where he gets kidnapped by Uma and her crew. But what if Ben realized that he didn't want to hold himself back anymore? What if Uma and Harry showed him that Ben had so much more potential?
Relationships: Ben/Harry Hook, Ben/Harry Hook/Uma, Ben/Uma (Disney: Descendants)
Comments: 25
Kudos: 115





	1. Prologue

The salty smell of the ocean was always able to calm Ben down. Whenever he was having a hard time, walking down to the beach always cheered him up. His mother would joke that he should ask Triton to turn him into a merman, and sometimes Ben wanted to agree with her. He wondered how it felt to swim around and not have to worry about ruling a kingdom. As Ben got closer to eighteen, it went from him being a child to being the next King. That in itself was already a task, but to add in his furry little problem? It made things harder. 

When his mother, Belle, broke his father’s curse… it didn’t completely remove it. Whenever his father got angry, King Adam would transform back into his fabled beast. Fairy Godmother said it’s probably because his father was stuck as a beast for so long. It ended up becoming a part of him, regardless of the curse being broken. 

Strangely, Ben had inherited some form of his father’s curse. They had every fairy, fae, witch, and magic-user examine him. Curiously his body had taken the curse and modified it. They didn’t know the full extent to how it was modified, but Ben was treated with care anyway. He learned how to control his temper, although it was very hard sometimes. 

It wasn’t until Ben had turned thirteen that they noticed any significant differences. For the first time, Ben had felt his beast side. It started with an increase in his senses such as taste, hearing, and smell. Then, Ben began complaining about migraines and eye problems. To his mother’s shock, Ben’s eyes had become more feline-like and were compared to a lion’s eyes. Eventually, his eyes reverted back to normal, but this wasn’t the end of the changes. 

Shortly after, Ben would be able to sense things that normal humans wouldn’t. He could sense people’s emotions quite well, but more so the stronger side of things like anger, fear, and excitement. There was also the awkward side of what Ben deduced as pheromones. Once Ben was old enough to notice other people romantically and sexually, he could tell when others were a bit… excited. Ben never told his parents that part. On a happier note, Ben discovered that he didn’t have much of a preference in dating. He had an interest in everyone regardless of their gender. Because of that, Ben had to learn how to desensitize himself. He couldn’t handle having crushes on five people at once. 

When Ben had met the villain kids, his beast side was very excited. They brought a new outlook on life and he hoped to become friends. 

Ben laid out a large towel and sat down on it. The rhythmic sounds out the waves lulled his thoughts. A soft smile graced his face as he took in the beautiful scenery. This smile slowly fell into a grimace as the ache in his chest returned. 

Ever since he brought Mal to the enchanted pool, Ben couldn’t get rid of this deep ache in his heart. The enchanted properties of the water had removed the spell Mal had put on him, but it felt like it removed something else too. 

When he was with Audrey, Ben secretly hoped that he wouldn’t be stuck with her all of his life. His inner beast wasn’t very fond of her. Audrey was a great girl, but she wasn’t the kind of girl that Ben needed. The most they ever did was hold hands or kiss each other. Ben wasn’t one to rush a relationship, nor was he sex-driven, but Audrey never showed any interest in him beyond his crown. It was disheartening. 

Ben had deep desires that he wouldn’t admit to anyone. Desires he had to keep locked away in fear of being judged. When Mal had shown up, and Ben realized that he had genuine feelings for her, he hoped he’d be able to express himself. Yet, Ben felt more trapped than he had with Audrey. On the surface, Mal seemed like the perfect girl for him. But, underneath her rough exterior was a completely different person. 

Ben’s inner beast wasn’t opposed to his relationship with Mal, but it wasn’t thrilled either. She didn’t fulfill him in the way that he hoped. There was no excitement. No spontaneity. No effort from her part. And if he was being honest, Ben had no sexual desires when it came to her. 

Ben threw himself down onto the towel and groaned. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Ben had the world at his fingertips, yet he felt so trapped. He had to suppress his beast side which made him feel like half a person. He had to be perfect in front of everyone, even Mal. He wasn’t allowed to show vulnerability or even express his dominance. Ben didn’t have anyone he could just be...Ben around…

Ben also struggled with dreams. All of his life, Ben dreamed of the ocean. It would sing to him, gently calling his name and pulling him into the waves. Sometimes he’d hear the soft laughter of a girl and a guy, but he was never able to see them. As he got older, the dreams only got more intense. First, it started out with him staying onshore, but eventually, it progressed to him swimming out into the deep. 

He didn’t understand why the ocean played such a big part in his life, but Ben knew he couldn’t live without it. He loved sailing and doing anything that involved the water, but unfortunately, Mal hated it. She couldn’t swim and refused to learn. Mal said the ocean only brought her bad memories and wanted to avoid it as much as possible. Unfortunately, Cotillion wouldn’t allow her to do that for long. 

Ben didn’t know how much more of this he could take. Opening his eyes, Ben looked at the Waxing Moon surrounded by stars. Hopefully one day he could be free to express himself...free to be Ben.

He sighed and slowly lifted himself off of the towel. He’d have to make his way back inside before he fell asleep outside again. Ben sleepily dusted the sand off of the towel and made his way back home. If his mother found out he wasn’t in his bed again, she was sure to lock him in there.

***

A strong stench of blood and smoke filled the air followed shortly by the clang of metal. There was a yell, but it was cut off as soon as it started. A loud thud of something heavy hitting the ground startled the mice nearby. It was silent for a few seconds before a door opened and Uma walked out. 

The sword in her hand was dripping red blood onto the cobblestone. Her face looked emotionless as Harry handed her a cloth to wipe the sword down. She could still feel the vibrations that the sword gave off when she stuck it through the man inside. 

“The job's done.” Uma said and she resheathed her sword and secured it to her waist. She looked up at Harry who gave her a smile. 

“The kids will be informed their father had decided to leave the Isle...permanently.” Harry responded.

Uma smiled and ran her hand through Harry’s hair, who closed his eyes in bliss. 

“He’s gone now, Harry. He won’t hurt them anymore.”


	2. A Day's Work

Uma, daughter of Ursula, was what many people on the Isle knew her as. Just because her mother was the sea witch, she didn’t let people identify her like that. She built herself a reputation for being ruthless, domineering, and fair. Gathering herself a crew from a young age, Uma proved to many on the Isle that she was not to be messed with. The port was her turf and no one could change that. For years, she went toe to toe with Maleficent's precious daughter, Mal. That purple-haired nuisance had everything handed to her because of her mommy. Not like any of that mattered now with her taking off to Auradon and turning her back on the Isle. She was undesirable number one in the eyes of the Isle. A traitor.

Uma wasn’t coddled like Mal was growing up. Uma learned spells from her mother, and the different ways the sea granted her magic. Although she couldn’t cast magic under the dome, it didn’t stop her from perfecting the rituals. Her mother didn’t have a spellbook, no, sea witches didn’t do that. All of their spells, potions, and recipes were ingrained into memory. Uma had to memorize hundreds of spells and potions before her mother gifted her with a prized possession. Ursula’s shell necklace. Passed down to Ursula by her own mother when she completed her magic training. Uma was proud to call herself a sea witch.

Eventually, Uma was old enough to work in her mother’s fish and chips shop. She cooked the food but worked as a waitress most of the time. The food was as good as you could make rotten carrots and peas taste. If she was lucky, the pirates at the wharf would pick out all of the better-looking pieces and give them to her. 

Every week, the Isle would get a new shipment of things from the other side of the border. The food was usually rotten, old, or expired. Clothes were usually moth-eaten and tattered or stained. Thus, from a young age, Uma learned how to make dye and fashion her own clothes. Turquoise was her signature color. 

It was on the rare occasion that an untattered item would slip through the barrier. Harry Hook, her beloved first mate, somehow managed to snag it every time. In Uma’s captain quarters was a chest filled with these precious items. Most of them are jewelry like pearl necklaces, gold rings, and bracelets. With what pristine scraps of cloth made it, Uma was carefully fashioning herself an outfit worthy of a queen. She would be turning eighteen soon, and that was a big deal to her mother.

Uma shifted in the bed not feeling the heat of Harry’s bare skin against hers. She turned her head to look at where the sleeping pirate would be and sighed. It wasn’t every day they had the chance to wake up next to each other. Harry had gone back to his house that night after spending some alone time with her. Uma carefully got out of bed and shivered slightly when the cold air hit her exposed body. She walked over to her mirror to see what damage Harry had done. She was pleasantly surprised to note that her thighs didn’t look as bad as she expected them to. Even the hickeys Harry had left were in strategic places that could be covered. Uma quickly got ready for work and headed downstairs to start serving. 

Living on the Isle wasn’t something out of a fairy tale. It was rough living, and hard for many to get by. If you weren't a top dog, you were somebody else’s bitch. Uma refused to be someone’s bitch, and she didn’t have to. It was as if she had a natural charm that led others to her. 

Uma trained fiercely with the best swordsmen on the Isle. Barbossa, Jack Sparrow, and Captain Hook would spend hours on the ship training them. She could see how Jack had evaded the law for years with his wacky ideas and sharp mind. They never took it easy on her and Uma had many scars to prove it. 

“When your life's on the line, Uma, there’s no time to listen to rules. We’re pirates! We don’t play fair! Do you think I stole the Pearl from Jack by playing fair?! NO!” Barbossa would snarl as she forced her body off the deck of the Lost Revenge. When she wasn’t practicing or commanding her crew, Uma was working at her mother’s fish and chips shop. Being her mother’s only daughter, Uma took pride in running the shop. Not that she’d tell anyone that. 

No matter how big and bad Uma seemed to be, she still had a soft spot for the other VKs on the Isle. Children like Dizzy and Celia just weren’t cut out for the harshness. With every new generation of VKs, it seems they had more trouble adapting. She and her pirates kept an eye on the younger kids and kept them out of trouble. Harry would escort the younger kids across the Isle to school, or watch out for the more devious villains. Uma ruled her turf with an iron fist and red sword. She wasn’t afraid to get dirty, and none of her crew as opposed to other methods of persuasion. It was among those circles that they started calling Uma “Queen of the Isle”, especially after Mal had abandoned them. 

_‘Mal.’_ Uma sneered as she walked to the front of the restaurant. Her eyes were glued to the old box tv that her mother had mounted onto the wall. On the screen, Mal was standing in front of a crowd of reporters, looking like a pretty pretty princess. Uma dropped a tray of food on the counter in front of Harry and glared at the screen. Harry picked up a fry from the tray, as Uma reached around him for the fish cake. 

“UGH!” Uma yelled in anger as she threw the fish cake at the screen. She heard Harry giggle as he turned to look at the screen. Uma flicked any trace of the fish cake off of her gloved hands. 

“Poser.” She hissed while turning around towards her crew.

“Traitor!” Harry called out shortly after her, finally realizing Mal was on the screen. 

Uma glanced around at her crew and raised an eyebrow. Too busy with their conversations to notice their captain's anger towards a certain blonde. 

“Hello?!” Uma called out to her crew, and they quickly followed her lead in throwing food at the screen while shouting in disgust. 

“Oh, I would love to wipe the smiles off their faces. You know what I mean?” Harry purred. 

Next to them, Gil was busy eating while ignoring what was going on around him. Uma looked to him with veiled worry in her eyes. The son of Gaston had issues with being attentive after his father had beat him as a child. They never knew what was going on in his head when he was like this, but he had told them not to treat him any differently for it. That didn’t stop Uma from being more attentive towards him behind closed doors. 

“Gil!” Uma called to him, “You wanna quit choking down yolks and get with the program?” 

Gil looked over to his captain in confusion before nodding his head and swallowing the eggs he was eating. He knew his captain didn’t want to be harsh with him, but she needed to keep up appearances in front of non-crewmates. 

“Yeah...What they said.” He stated clearly, although everyone knew he wasn’t paying attention. His captain observed him for a moment as if trying to verify with her own eyes that he was okay. When she was satisfied, Uma turned away from him to look back at the crew. 

“That little traitor! Who left us in the dark!” She snarled.

“Who turned her back on evil!” Harry said airily. 

“Who said you weren’t big or bad enough to be in her gang.” Gil spoke sarcastically. 

Everyone stopped and stared at Gil as he placed another tray of food on the table. A collective sigh went through the crew as he looked at them in confusion. Did they forget Mal had said this?

“Back when we were kids… Come on! You guys remember!” Gil carried on. Uma was standing next to him getting antsier and antsier while Harry and the rest of the crew glared at him to stop. 

“She called her Shrimpy and the name just kind of…” Gil watched as his captain reached out to Harry and placed her hand on his arm. That was a warning sign. Harry was clenching his jaw in frustration, a mad glint in his eyes. Uma only did that when she sensed Harry’s emotions or needed to steady herself. Not only had he brought back the bad memories for Uma but for Harry too.

Gil winced and realized he had done it again. Ever since he was little he couldn’t screen what came out of his mouth. His father was a drunkard, a bullheaded, strong drunkard. As a child, his father would beat him and his brothers. Gil’s head was a constant target because he was a relatively smart child, unlike his father and brothers. The trauma to his brain didn’t connect his thoughts to his mouth very well and had a tendency to speak without knowing. 

Although, under all of that, Gil was still very smart. He focused more on his strength to please his father and avoid any more abuse. It was a secret between the crew that he disliked being treated like he was an idiot. Gil was aware of keeping up appearances outside of their ship and made sure to not let his mask slip. Sometimes though, he felt like he was slowly becoming more and more like his old man. 

“...stuck.” Gil whispered as Uma stared at him intensely before growling and turning towards Harry.

“That snooty little witch!” Uma hissed lowly to Harry, “Who grabbed everything she wanted and left us nothing!” Harry leaned in closer to his captain and could see the irritation on her face. Concern briefly graced his features until he heard Gil speak up again.

“Well…she left you that sandbox, and then she said that you could have the shrimp-.” 

Uma slammed her hand down on the counter, causing the rest of the crew to jump and look in her direction. The anger was visible on her face as she rounded on Gil. 

“I need you to stop talking!” The hidden ‘please’ was evident in her voice. Uma gave Gil a slightly deranged smile, and he quickly nodded his head while Harry grabbed her attention. It wasn’t common knowledge but Uma was tormented by that memory… the first time she was betrayed on the Isle.

“Look, Uma… We have her turf now. You’ve taken more care of the Isle in a year than Mal has all her life. You are a better ruler than she could ever hope to be.” Harry carefully stroked her cheek. 

“That’s not the point, Harry!” Uma’s eyes hardened and she slapped his hand away. She aggressively pointed at the screen. 

“THAT’S her turf now! She left the Isle and turned her back on us to live in a fairy tale! US!” Uma spat out in disgust. She clenched her fingers against the countertop and glared at the floor.

“We should not be getting her leftovers! How DARE she forget about us! How DARE she forget where she came from!” 

The crew knew those words by heart. Those sweet sweet words. A coded phrase that meant “All the VKs deserve to be in her place.” It was a phrase that surfaced after Uma had watched Mal and her gang get into the limousine. Uma had gone on a rampage.

It seemed as if a switch had been flicked, and all of the anger drained from her face. In its place was a knowing and playful expression. Uma swayed back and forth like a soothing tide before snapping around to look at Harry. Her turquoise and grey braids whirled around with her.

“Harry…” Uma purred, “What’s my name?” 

Harry’s eyes widened and he quickly removed his hat before dropping to his knees.

“ _Uma…_ ” Harry whispered devotedly to his captain. His eyes showed nothing but his devotion and desire for her. With a satisfied smirk, Uma turned to Gil and asked the same question. Through a mouth full of food, he struggled to say her name on time. 

“Mmm. U-Uma.” Gil stuttered out. Uma subtly nodded her head and turned to the rest of the crew in delight. A warmth flooded through her and she leaned over the counter. 

“ _What’s my name? What’s my name?_ ” She sang out to them. The crew leaned in closer, delighted to see that her anger had dissolved. This was their dear captain.

“UMA!” They all cheered together, adrenaline pumping through their veins at the attention their captain gave them. 

A haughty smirk crossed her lips as she pulled a sword out from under the counter. As if in a trance, the crew looked at her with devotion. Uma raised her sword into the air and a song left her lips.

“This is all hands on deck!” The entire crew slammed their hand down onto the counter, “Calling out to lost boys and girls! I’m getting tired of the disrespect- We won’t stop 'til we rule the world!” Uma ran around to the front of the counter and slid into place in front of her crew. 

“It’s our time, we up next (next)! Our sails about to be set (set)! They ain’t seen nothing yet-” Harry whirled around to look at his captain. His eyes met hers and he sang along with her.

“Tell ‘em who’s in charge so they don’t forget!” Uma’s crew danced around her, lifting her onto the table as she kept singing. The atmosphere in the shop became almost feverish as she kept on going. 

“No ones gonna stop us! Soon the world will be ours…! What’s my name? What’s my name?!” Uma felt drunk as she paraded around the shop. Her head felt like it was floating as she jumped around and danced. The crew and others in the restaurant started chanting her name, as Uma soaked up the attention. It was as if their chanting made her feel powerful.

“I’m the queen of this town! I call the shots, You know who I am- I don’t need to wear no fake crown! Stand up to me- Ya don’t stand a chance!” Uma pulled Jonas’ sword from the scabbard on his hip and swung it around pretending that she was fighting someone.

“The worst are now the best-” Uma quickly approached Harry who slid his hook against the blade of the sword, singing, “And leaving us here will be their last regret!” 

Two of the crew members slid the newly fashioned throne towards Uma who sat down in it. They lifted the chair and placed her down at the end of the runway as Harry jumped on stage. Throwing off his signature coat, Harry rapped for his captain.

“You know what they say, ‘Bad girls have all the fun!’ Never learned how to count ‘cause I’m number one! Ready, here we come- We always get our way! It’s a pirate's life, Every! Single! Day! Hey! She’s the captain, I’m the first mate.” Harry swayed side to side while subtly thrusting in the air before staggering down the runway. “Enemy’s seasick can’t see straight. Call ‘em fish bait, throw ‘em on a hook!” Harry jumped down in front of Uma looking up at her from his crouched position. “ _Uma’s so hot, they get burned if they look!_ ” He purred lowly as Uma stood up on her throne.

“It’s all eyes on me. Let me see ‘em!” Uma scanned the faces around her and sang silkily, “ _I see your eyes on me, boys_...Hey!” Gil snapped his head towards his captain hearing Harry’s sigh who pushed his in a different direction. Uma sashayed over to the stage, jumping up the steps, and standing in the center.

“You know what my name is! Say it, say it louder!” Uma’s voice echoed through the room as if she was singing underwater. She could feel Harry swaying behind her and she turned to face him.

“Hook Me!” She demanded while grabbing at the silver weapon. Harry’s blue eyes were dark with desire and he laughed maniacally at her words and could hear Uma laughing with him. The crew surrounds them, dancing in a trance together as if they all were one being. Breaking them out of the trance, Uma dances down the makeshift runway, while singing at the top of her lungs. Around her, the crew is laughing and howling along with her. 

“No ones gonna stop us, soon the world will be ours!” Harry lands next to her and his lustful eyes scan her body. Uma looks at him and reaches out to run her fingers through his hair, causing Harry to look at her in a daze. Abruptly, she turns her attention away from him and kicks Jonas into a chair... Harry takes a second to collect himself before moving away. In the heat of the moment, the crew goes crazy swinging from the chandeliers and throwing a net over Gil.

Her crew guides Uma to her new throne while chanting her name, and laughing in joy when she takes a seat, effectively silencing them. Taking a deep breath, Uma watched as her crew crowded around her. She couldn’t help but feel proud to have such a loyal crew. Harry walked over to her and extended a hand. Grabbing a hold of it, Uma was guided down the counter until her mother’s tentacle emerged from the back. With a speed, Ursula whipped her tentacle over the crew’s head’s causing them to duck. Uma shrieked in alarm as she jumped over her mother’s tentacle. 

“MAMA!” Uma screamed in frustration at her mother. A loud cackle was heard coming from the elder sea witch. It wasn’t everyday Ursula mettled with her daughter’s business, but it brought her joy when she did. 

“You have work to do! You can plot world domination after you wash the dishes, you little urchin!” Ursula called to Uma from the back of the shop.

“It’s fine!” She called out to them as they all carefully stood up. Uma glanced around at her startled crew and chuckled in her head. _’Leave it to my mother to ruin our good moods.’_ She thought to herself. Whatever had taken a hold of the crew and customers seemed to have disappeared after Ursula’s appearance. Taking a deep breath, Uma grinned and messed up Gonzo’s hair. 

“They’re gonna forget about that girl. And remember the name-!” Uma was cut off.

“SHRIMPY!” Gil announced loudly.

Uma exhaled heavily out of her nose and looked at Harry. She motioned to him and Harry caught Gil’s attention with a mocking smile. Gil chuckled nervously and nodded his head knowing that he was in trouble. As Uma got down from the counter, Harry pushed Gil out of the shop. For a moment, Gil attempted to go back in when Harry appeared again. Knowing he was actually in trouble this time, Gil sat down outside the shop with a sigh. They’d be closing to prepare for dinner anyway.


	3. Picnic Time

While Uma was having fun with her crew and condemning Gil to time out, Auradon’s favorite couple was having some personal time.

Ben had planned a nice little picnic outside with Mal. With Ben being so busy, he didn’t have the chance to really give his girlfriend the attention he wanted to give her. Instead of letting him bring the food, Mal had insisted that she’d be the one too. Ben didn’t mind this, in fact, he liked that Mal was taking her own initiative. For a while, it seemed as though Ben was the one making all the effort. 

They met in a little gondola that was positioned in the middle of a pond. It was in a secluded area of the garden where the paparazzi wouldn’t be able to get to. It was the perfect place for them to spend some much needed alone time together. 

Ben watched as Mal picked up a piece of toasted bread with avocado spread on top of it. 

“Would you like a hot hors d'oeuvre?” She gave him a smile as she motioned to him with it. Ben glanced at her before glancing down at the slice of bread. 

“Yes, please.” He gave her a charming smile before leaning forward and eating it out of her hand. Mal looked at him with excitement as he chewed on the food, encouraging him to speak about it more.

“Mmm, this is the best thing I’ve ever had.” Ben said while he finished eating it.

“So you like it?” Mal asked innocently.

“I more than like it.” Ben said. He leaned over to grab another piece off of the tray next to her. Mal was watching him as he picked up a slice and put it in his mouth.

“I, uh...mmm, double like it.” He said softly as he sat back down in his seat. Him and Mal chuckled at his silly response for a moment. He glanced down at the spread on the table and looked at her questioningly before speaking. 

“Is this beef ragout?” Ben asked as he picked up a spoon and went to try the dish. He couldn’t believe Mal had managed to make all of this. This was food he’d expect Audrey or his mother to know how to make, not Mal. He was really glad that she was managing to get used to being in Auradon. 

“This is amazing.” Now that he had a closer look at the table, Ben could see that all of the food was very familiar.

“Did I surprise you?” Mal questioned him. She watched with anticipation as he lifted the spoon to his mouth for the third time. She was desperately hoping that he enjoyed all of the food that was in front of him.

“Oh, yeah, you surprised me. This is every single dish Mrs.Potts made for my parents. What’d it take you? Three days?” Ben was pleasantly surprised. Stuff like this took a while to put together, and the fact that Mal had done it really showed how much she cared. He watched as Mal struggled to respond to his question for a bit.

“You know, don't even ask me.” Mal laughed nervously while looking down at the food. Ben laughed along with her, and smiled at her nervousness. He knew that Mal was shy when it came to doing things for others.

“Well, it means a lot. That you stopped and did all this for me.” Ben looked at her with admiration and placed his hand on hers, “Especially with all the craziness you’ve been put through.... I missed you.” Ben took his hand and gently brushed his fingers against Mal’s cheek. 

“We don’t get much time to be just us anymore.”

Ben and Mal stared at each other for a bit, “I know.” Mal responded and wiped some of the soup away from his mouth. They both chuckled at this.

“You can’t take me anywhere, right?” Ben joked causing Mal to laugh. Ben brushed his tongue over his teeth and realized that he should wipe his mouth.

“Do you have a...Do you have a napkin or something?” Ben asked as he glanced around the table looking for one.

“I do. I packed some-” Mal said as she glanced down to the ground.

“-Oh, there it is-”

“- I think I stowed them away.” Mal looked at Ben in alarm as he reached into the basket. “I can grab them-.” Mal was forced to silence when Ben pulled her spellbook from out of the basket.

“What’s this?” Ben says as he turns the book around in his hands. His eyes scanned over the dragon that was engraved on the front. Ben was confused about why she would have it in the basket. Out of curiosity, Ben opened the book and turned to a random page while Mal stuttered out a response.

“I actually threw that in there super last minute. In case it rained or...” Mal rushed out before she was interrupted.

“Speed reading spell. Blonde hair spell.” Ben said monotonously while flipping through the pages. He flipped through the book again and stared at the page in disbelief. He could feel his beast side move uncomfortably in the back of his mind.

“Cooking spell.” Ben looked up with a hurt expression. He had given Mal so much praise for taking the time to cook food for the two of them. It seemed as though everything that Mal had done to adapt to Auradon wasn’t on her own volition. She had kept her mother’s spellbook and used it to her advantage. 

“And I was giving you props for fitting in so well. For doing your best.” Ben leaned back in his chair and looked down at the book. He couldn’t believe that Mal had lied to him about something so simple. He knew that it was going to be hard for her to fit in, and he was so proud that she was making an effort. Yet, none of it was true. If she was using her magic for those things, what else could she be using her magic for? Ben was snapped out of his thoughts by Mal’s mumbling.

“Take back this moment that has passed, return it…” Mal paused for a second, “...reverse it.” Ben’s eyes widened as he threw himself out of his chair in shock. Mal was trying to spell him?!

“Are you trying to spell me right now?!” Ben yelled at her incredulously. He could feel his body tense in alarm. His nails and gums itching as his adrenaline and anger kicked in.

“It has been so hard for me!” Mal yelled back. Ben wouldn’t let her get in another word as his anger rose. 

“Yes!” He unconsciously slammed his fist on the table, “Some things are hard! Do you think learning to be King has been easy for me?!” Ben was tempted to reach up and scratch the irritating itch on his head. He was so angry that he couldn’t stay still.

“No!” Mal yelled out in desperation, tears gathering in her eyes. She moved like she wanted to get out of the chair and reach for him.

“I thought we were doing this together?!”

“Ben!” Mal got up from her chair, “We are in this together!”

“But we’re not, Mal! We’re not!” Ben took a deep breath to calm himself and keep a growl from escaping. “You’ve been keeping secrets and lying to me! I thought we were done with that.” He could feel his hands shaking slightly. Ben wanted to reprimand her. To show her that she had made a mistake by lying to him.

Mal couldn’t respond. She didn’t know what to say to defend herself. Ben had caught her in a lie. Unbeknownst to Mal, Ben was fighting with himself internally. The control he had over his beast side was slipping, along with other things he kept hidden. Her silence on the matter seemed to only irritate him more.

“This isn’t the Isle of the Lost, Mal!” Ben’s anger got the best of him. He was hurt, beyond hurt.

“Yeah, believe me. I know that.” 

“Then why are you doing this?”

Mal laughs in disbelief, “Because… I’m not one of those pretty pink princesses, Ben. I'm not one of those ladies from the court.” Mal paused before sighing, “I’m a big fake! I’m fake. This is fake.” Mal motions to the food on the table. “This is fake!” She grabs her hair and sighs. 

It’s quiet for a moment, until Mal reaches across the table to pick up her spellbook. Ben watches her warily, as she flips through the pages. She had spelled him once, and tried to do it again...what would be the odds that she tried a third time?

“Take this feast, this sumptuous meal, return it back to what is real.” Mal waved her fingers as the food in front of them turned into a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and with a glass of milk.

“This is who I really am.” Mal told him before she left the gondola. 

Ben stared down at the plate for what seemed like forever. He was shaking harder now and could tell that Mal was nowhere close to him. So, Ben let go. He took a deep breath and all of his build up anger came crashing down on him. He could feel his teeth sharpen, his eyes shift, his nails forming into claws and his horns break through. With another deep breath Ben let out a loud roar before swatting at the glass cup and plate with his hand. They flew off the table and shattered on the ground as Ben kept on screaming. After a bit of time, Ben managed to calm down by thinking about the ocean. 

He pushed his beast side back and looked down at the mess he made. Tears welled up in his eyes and he dropped onto his knees. Putting his head in his hands, Ben sighed. Would he ever find relief?


	4. Gone

Ben didn’t need to think about where he was running. All that mattered was the trees whizzing by and the sound of the roaring waves getting louder. Fallen branches, leaves, and the grass crunched under his feet as he ran faster and faster. After what had happened during the picnic, he needed somewhere to go where he could be truly alone. 

Ben knew of this hidden cove that was secluded by rocks and could only be entered by the cliff face. It was a bit of a trek from the castle but from the garden, it wasn’t too far of a run. He could be there within ten minutes if he kept running at a moderate pace. Yet, at the speed he was currently sprinting he could be there a couple of minutes earlier. He had found it when he was younger and had been running around on the top of the cliff when he slipped and fell down a hole. Ben had landed directly in the center of the cold saltwater cove. He was certain he swallowed more than enough salt water to dehydrate his tiny body.

With the edge of the cliff in sight through the treeline, Ben jumped towards a group of clustered boulders. Using his momentum, he stepped on one of the rocks and propelled himself towards the opening between them. After his eyes cleared the grey rocks, he only had a moment to witness the deep blue water below him before he was submerged.

The shock of the cold water was like a jolt of electricity to his skin. A shiver made its way through his body as he swam to the surface. When he broke through, Ben relaxed and let his body float in time with the gentle waves. He could catch a glimpse of the sun’s rays peeking in through the opening above him. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and started to think.

‘It would be nice to have someone to share this with. The cold water is refreshing against my skin and it’s a beautiful place to escape reality. Whenever we’d need a break, we could come here.’ Ben chuckled to himself, ‘Mal wouldn’t have even given this the time of day. The moment I’d have mentioned anything having to do with water she’d shut it down.’

Ben was brought out of his thoughts at the sound of a motorcycle revving. Startled, Ben sunk into the water and reemerged coughing from swallowing the salt water. He listened for a minute only hearing the roaring of the waves against the rock, before swimming over to the opening of the cove. Grabbing the smoothened stone, he pulled himself out of the water and briefly glanced out to the ocean. Shaking his head, Ben scaled the cliffside and stood on the top of the cliff. He looked around in confusion, turning back towards the ocean and spotting the Isle in the distance.

‘I must really be losing it if I thought I heard a motorcycle all the way out here.’ Ben chuckled to himself. He took that as his queue to head back to the castle, desperately hoping he wouldn’t smell over saltwater when he got there. 

***

Later that morning, Ben was sitting in the royal office. He had to review some of the petitions that his subjects were requesting. Mrs.Potts had requested that they expand the kitchens so more people could cook when it came to important events. Ben chuckled bitterly at the irony of the petition. He placed the paper down on the desk and signed off on the expansion. It would be very beneficial, especially because Ben loved to host large parties. He sorted it into the pile of finished papers and let out a sigh. 

Mal had really hurt Ben with what she did this morning. He didn’t really know if he could trust her after what she had done. He just couldn’t understand why Mal would do that. If she was struggling, she could have come to him for help...or Evie, Jay, and even Carlos! They seemed to be adapting to Auradon quite well. Evie had her own little fashion boutique that was doing great. All of the princesses loved getting fashion advice or custom pieces from her. 

Ben picked up another document before something dawned on him.

“Debra?” Ben called out.

“Yes, your Majesty?” A voice, Debra, responded.

“Can you ask Lumiere to call me regarding Cotillion?” Ben questioned. 

“Yes, sir.” Debra responded.

“Thank you.” Ben said as he placed his quill back into the inkwell. A knock sounded at the door and Ben looked up lazily, tired from reading through so many documents. 

“Ben.” A soft voice sounded shortly after.

“Evie?! Come on in!” Ben perked up as he saw the fashionista push the room door open. He quickly took the Bluetooth piece out of his ear as Evie stepped into the room. Evie paused at the door and looked at Ben with worried eyes. 

“Mal’s gone back to the Isle.” The smile that was on Ben’s face faltered. Evie walked over to him with a note in her hands. Ben took it from her and quickly scanned the note that Mal had left behind.

Evie took a deep breath as if steeling herself. “Ben...” She said softly to get his attention. Ben looked up at her and Evie lifted up his ring. 

Ben took it from her and he felt anger flood his body. Mal wouldn’t have left Auradon if he didn't have to get mad at her for using magic. He clenched his jaw and glared down at the ring. Was he really that difficult to be with?

“This is my fault! This is my fault. I blew it! She’s been under so much pressure lately and instead of being understanding, I just went all...beast on her!” Ben spat out the word ‘beast’ like it was poison in his mouth. He hated his beast side. Ben saw it as nothing more than an issue. It made him overreact to the littlest of things, and he always had to keep it down.

“...I have to go there and apologize. I have to go there and beg her to come back to Auradon.” Ben told Evie. He was regretting everything he said from this morning. Yet, there was this nagging feeling in the back of his mind. Why should he regret what he said? Mal was lying to him! He’d been nothing but honest with her! Ben turned quickly and looked out of the window to find something to calm him down. Anything. It wouldn’t be any help if he became a beast now.

“Ben, you’ll never find her. You need to know the Isle and how it works, and...” Evie thought seriously for a moment and took a deep breath. “You have to take me with you.”

Evie interrupted Ben’s spiraling thoughts. “Yes, uh...A-Are you sure?” Ben stuttered. He knew how much Evie and the others hated it on the Isle. They loved life here in Auradon and he would never force Evie, Carlos, or Jay to go back.

“Yes.” Evie responded. “She’s my best friend...and we’ll bring the boys too because there’s safety in numbers and none of us are really too popular over there right now.” Evie was thinking of a plan of action. She knew there were places Mal was most likely to be, but they had to get in and out as soon as possible.

“Thank you.” Ben said sincerely.

“But lets get two things straight.” Evie said as she whirled around to look at Ben, “You have to promise me that I won’t get stuck there again…” Her face showed fear. Evie’s worst fear was being stuck back on the Isle with no way to return. Ben saw the fear in her eyes and nodded.

“I promise, Evie.” He said softly. Evie looked at him for a few seconds before nodding. 

“Also, there’s no way you're going there looking like that.” Ben blinked and looked down at himself before looking back up at Evie in confusion.


	5. Dizzy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn’t get the chance to proof read but I hope you guys enjoy this short chapter! Thank you for so many people deciding to give my story a chance! I can’t wait for you to read the rest of it! Please don’t be shy to leave comments! I’d love to hear your guesses on what’s going to happen.

Dizzy Tremaine was busy cleaning up the hair salon. She couldn’t help but dance to her music as she swept up the place. Harry would be stopping by later to do her wellness check, and she wanted the place to look nice. Uma and her crew had been helping her out a lot since Mal left and took Evie with her. If it wasn’t for Uma, Dizzy didn’t know where she’d be.

They had threatened her grandmother to allow Dizzy to have a few customers of her own, and her grandmother reluctantly obeyed. If Maleficent’s plan hadn’t failed, there’d be dozens of kids on the Isle who were still struggling. Uma and her crew had immediately taken advantage of the situation and got to work. The first thing Uma did was subdue the big wigs on the Isle like Evil Queen, Cruella, and Jafar. How? No one but Uma and Harry knew the full details, but the rest of the Isle had suspicions. Dizzy was one of the few who knew how without the full details. 

‘Harry.’ Dizzy sighed happily. Harry Hook was one hell of a man. She knew he was Uma’s property but it didn’t stop a girl from dreaming. After watching him hold a hook to her grandmother’s neck, she was smitten. Dizzy hoped she’d find a man like Harry who wasn’t afraid to get his hands dirty for her as Harry did for Uma.

Mid-twirl, Dizzy’s eyes landed on someone standing in the entranceway. Dizzy jumped with a start upon recognizing the blonde-haired girl, “Mal!” Dizzy reached up and removed her headphones, “Is Evie back, too?” She said excitedly. Evie was her best friend! They did everything together and she really wanted to hear about Auradon. 

Mal chuckled, “As if. I, um, forgot that you guys don’t open till midnight.” Mal looked around the place and nodded in appreciation, “Place looks good.” 

Dizzy giggled proudly knowing that it was all her doing. Yet, internally, she was nervous. Mal was back...what was going to happen now? Her grandmother was treating her relatively nicely, and what about all of the reforms made to Mal’s territory? Would she just allow things to go back the same? Dizzy was a bit angry from her thought process but did her best to hide it. 

“Has your grandmother given you any customers yet?” Mal questioned as she walked further into the salon. ‘Yes, no thanks to you.’ Dizzy hissed in her mind.

“Ah, just a witch here and there. Mostly it's a lot of scrubbing and scouring and sweeping.” Dizzy glanced down at her broom. “Lots and lots of sweeping.” Her hands were hardened from holding the rough-handled broom constantly. 

“Sounds like the old Cinderella treatment.”

“Yeah, she’s gone from the wicked stepmother to the wicked grandmother.”

“That’s not really much of a switch…” Dizzy shook her head. ‘Though I’m sure I have it better than old Cindy did.’

“Hey, Dizzy... you used to do Evie, right?”

“Yeah! I thought of the little braids.” Dizzy grinned at the mention of Evie, who she admired greatly. Evie was her very first customer who had believed in her. She was the example Uma had used to get Dizzy a chair, and Uma became a faithful customer to her. After all, no one knew how to bling out her braids like Dizzy.

“You have any ideas for me?” Mal asked the little stylist. Dizzy looked Mal up and down. She grinned at Mal and sat her down in the salon chair. She wouldn’t pass up a chance to do what she was growing to love. Although, Dizzy couldn’t help but get a little personal revenge on the traitor. ‘Mal, your face would totally look hideous with bangs...Let’s give you some.’ Dizzy giggled to herself as Mal gave her an awkward smile.

*

After Mal’s makeover, she looked at herself in the mirror. Her long platinum blonde hair was gone, and in place of it was a purple, chest-length bob. She had bangs that were cut straight across her forehead and covered her eyebrows. Satisfied with her new hairstyle, Mal reached into her pocket and pulled out some money.

“For me?” Dizzy asked Mal in shock. She hadn’t expected Mal to pay her at all. Mal wasn’t very generous when it came to getting things done. 

“Yeah, you earned it.” Mal responded. Dizzy giggled and walked over to the cash register by the door. ‘I earned it?’ Dizzy thought to herself, ‘Oh yeah, I earned it! I just gave you the most hideous look on the Isle. Good luck with that Mal.’ 

Just as Dizzy got to the register, Harry Hook walked through the door. Dizzy squeaked in shock when she saw the deranged pirate. Her heart pounded in her chest and a slight blush dusted her cheeks. He wasn’t wearing his coat which allowed for his massive muscles to be on display. Dizzy cleared her mind and focused on the situation. She wasn’t expecting him so soon, but it was perfect timing. She was going to give him the money for safe-keeping anyway.

“Fork it over, ya runt.” Harry said to Dizzy. He had noticed Mal in the shop out of the corner of his eye and knew he couldn’t stay as long as he planned. Dizzy’s wellness check would have to wait until later. 

Dizzy handed Harry the money, who knocked his hook against the counter, “Now the rest of it.” Dizzy went to the register and handed Harry the rest of the money. She pretended to be upset about it but was really happy to have the money be put somewhere safe. Her grandmother wouldn’t be able to confiscate it from her. Just because Uma threatened to gut her if she didn’t give Dizzy some clients, didn’t mean she couldn’t charge for giving her the chair.

During this transaction, Mal had kept silent. She had hoped that Harry would acknowledge her but realized that he didn’t. She appreciated his muscles for a moment and licked her lips. ‘Mm, if Uma wasn’t such a snake, Harry would still be mine.’ Just before Harry would slink out of the door, Mal called out to him.

“Still running errands for Uma... or do you actually get to keep what you steal.” 

Harry groaned internally. He had hoped to leave without any interaction with Mal, but the fates were not on his side. Every time he was in Mal’s presents he wanted to hurt her. Harry had so much anger towards the little gremlin that was hard for him to contain.

Slowly, Harry turned around and gave Mal a wild look, “Well, Well, Well. What a nice surprise.” Harry teased. To Mal, Harry looked more unhinged than usual. His eyes seemed more jumpy than usual and his demeanor seemed...off. 

“Hi, Harry.” Mal said while chewing on her gum nervously. She was alone with no one to back her up if something happened. Not even her mom. Mal had jumped the ocean without a thought about Isle rules.

Harry approached the purple-haired girl, ”Just wait until Uma hears you’re back. She’s never gonna give you back your old territory.” Uma would absolutely refuse to give Mal back her territory as long as she lived. That area was finally doing better and Mal would only ruin it again. Harry wouldn’t let that happen either. All it took was a few public displays to show those rotten adults what would happen if they stepped out of line. 

“Oh, well, that’s okay...because I will be taking it.” Mal said casually. Harry chuckled and brushed Mal’s hair with his hook. His hand shook slightly as he fought the urge to slice her jugular open. 

“I could hurt you.” Harry said. He was itching to slice Mal with his hook, and give her something to be afraid of. Mal smacked his hook away and grabbed his arm. A movement that pissed Harry off to no end. With her other hand, she reached up and pulled the piece of gum out of her mouth. She went to place it on the tip of Harry's hook but paused just before she did. 

“Not without her permission, I bet.”

Not breaking eye contact with her, Harry yanked his arm away right before she stuck the disgusting candy on his hook. Mal’s body jerked forward and his hook cut Mal deeply across the palm of her hand, causing her to drop the piece of gum. Mal looked down at her hand in shock as the cut immediately started to bleed. Harry couldn’t help but feel satisfied as he watched the blood drop to the floor.

Mal looked up and saw that Harry hadn’t moved an inch, his body towering over hers. He was staring down at her with cold, hard eyes as he leaned closer with a wicked smirk. 

“You’d be surprised to know what’s changed since you left, _princess_.” Harry spat at her. He glanced down at the cut on her hand and turned away saying, “Think of that as your ‘Welcome Home’ gift.” 

Mal didn’t hear Dizzy as she rushed over with a towel to wrap her hand. In fact, Mal could hardly feel the pain of the cut. That was her first time on the Isle where she genuinely felt afraid. Harry was right, she didn’t know how much has changed in six months. Mal had just decided to come home with no thought except that she didn’t belong in Auradon.

What was going to happen when word got out that Mal was back? Harry obviously wasn’t going to keep it a secret. Yes, people ran from her in fear but that wouldn’t last unless she did something horrible. Would she be able to do something horrible? 


	6. Harry Hook

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys are spoiled! I was too excited to give you guys the next chapter instead of waiting a couple of days... We'll start getting into the meat of the story soon! Also, please keep in mind that tags will be added as the story is written. So please keep an eye on them, but when I do update them, I'll let you know at the start of a chapter. Enjoy!
> 
> ~Kitty

Harry Hook, son of Captain Hook, and the rest of their pirate crew had spent weeks gathering all of the materials to make their captain a throne. It was a plush pale blue chair covered in various corals and shells. Earlier today, she had sat down on it for the first time. It brought Harry and the crew great joy because they spent so long painting and designing it. 

During one of their practice days, Gil had brought up how Uma was their Pirate Queen. A title that the rest of the crew wholeheartedly agreed with. Although to Harry, Uma seemed to be more of a Goddess than just his captain. See, the members of Uma’s crew didn’t follow her out of fear. No, ruling out of fear was for yellow-bellied sea slugs! 

Uma ruled her pirate crew with trust, honesty, and their undying loyalty. Each member of her crew had come to respect her as an individual for all that she has done for them. Growing up on the Isle was a dangerous place for most people. Other children of villains attacked the others for street cred and praise from their parents. Most were running from their parents and other adults on the Isle. Even as a villain's sidekick, those adults were still wicked people. People of the worst kind used to be on the Isle until Uma dealt with them. Those who were smart knew that moving in numbers kept the troublemakers away… unless you were the troublemakers, of course. Children grew up quickly on the Isle, and very few had a proper childhood. Harry could fondly remember chasing his sisters through the dirty alleyways near their home. Scraped knees from jumping down the roofs and cuts from broken glass bottles. Their father was rarely sober but Captain James Hook did his best to raise his three children alone. For a pirate that hated children, he came to love his own. Well, as close to love as you could get on the Isle. No one knew who their mother was, and his father was loathed to speak of her. 

“Off her rocker, that one!” Hook would exclaim when questioned about her. He wouldn’t say anything else except that same phrase.

Harry knew it was hopeless to get his father to talk about her, especially when his uncle Jack Sparrow was around. The two of them spent all of their time recounting their glory days of pillaging and plundering and harlots. 

“She was a mad one, ‘arry. She had a very big head but a remarkably short temper...mmm, I don’t know how your father managed to get that lass…Who are we talking about again?” He’d say before wandering off to snatch up another bottle of rum. His uncle Jack was taking imprisonment harder than anyone Harry knew. The seas were his home and the only reminder he had was his compass and a boat in a bottle. 

Harry and his sisters were fascinated by the tiny little thing. Jack would tell them how it was the ship he used to sail the seas on. 

“That’s me ship! The  _ Black Pearl _ . A beauty, ain’t she? Shame she’s imprisoned just like her captain.” Then he’d open the compass and they’d watch it spin with no end. Compasses didn’t work under the dome for some strange reason, but Jack had an explanation for this one too. 

“This compass is a very special one. It doesn’t point North, but to what you desire the most. It’s a magical compass, that’s why it doesn’t work here. I look at it every day in hopes it points to what I want most… the open seas!” 

Harry knew his family was positively mental, and everyone assumed it ran in the family. He loved his uncle Jack, who had doted on him as the only son in the family. That didn’t mean he didn’t love his sisters. His sisters were just as clever and slightly deranged. They had done everything together until they grew up, but they’d always be loyal to each other. 

Harry wouldn’t call himself sane, especially when it came to his ticks. He knew he had a temper on him and some things just made his sanity slip. Harry Hook was just as unhinged and positively genius as his father and uncle. Although, it didn’t take a bottle of rum for him to get his best ideas. 

Harry wasn’t sure when he started following Uma around the Isle. There was a fiasco on the Isle some years ago, when his father was giving the  _ Lost Revenge _ to the first person to bring him the Trident. 

“That old thing?” His uncle Jack had questioned, “I coulda sworn I destroyed that monstrosity.” It wasn’t the first time Uncle Jack had brought up the trident. So, Harry didn’t comment on the matter. Though he wondered if his uncle actually did break the trident.

Before this, Harry was already associated with the blue-haired beauty, but it made their alliance stronger. Long story short, Uma got the ship and Harry had been following her closely ever since. 

Uma wasn’t just a great captain, but she was also an amazing leader. Some people speculate that her powers are greater than her mother’s and that’s why so many people are drawn to her. Harry didn’t care if it was because Uma was his captain. If she told him to get on his knees, he’d already be there. It wasn’t a secret that Harry had feelings for his darling captain. Nor was it a secret that he and Uma were sort of an item. They weren’t dating, no, you didn’t date on the Isle. They just found interest in each other.

This interest was the reason that Harry Hook had spent the night in Uma’s room. After a night of hunting, they went back to her place to relax.

_ Harry watched as Uma pulled off her leather jacket and tossed it onto the chair. Her upper back was exposed and he could see the glistening blue and gold of her tattoo. Harry pulled off his boots and jacket before throwing the white shirt onto the floor. Crossing the room, Harry plopped down on the bed and got comfy.  _

_ His eyes searched out his captain who stepped out of the bathroom in her undergarments. Water was dripping down from her hair as she carefully unbraided the last of the strands. Silently, she picked up a coral comb and brush and reached out with it to Harry. He took it from her as she situated herself between his legs so he could do her hair. Gently, Harry took the comb and pulled it through her curls to get rid of any tangles. While he did this, Uma hummed softly forcing her body to relax with every pass the comb made through her hair. Harry switched to the brush, marveling at the soft, silky feeling of her hair. He still couldn’t believe that these colors in her hair were natural. Other people on the Isle had to dye their hair, but Uma didn’t need to.  _

_ “Harry.” Uma said softly, causing the pirate to pause.  _

_ “Yes, love?” He responded just as softly. _

_ There was a small silence between them before Uma shifted and turned around to face him. She was leaning over him on her knees, with her hands resting on his shoulders.  _

_ “Why do you follow me?” She whispered to him. Her brown eyes stared deeply into his as she waited for his response. Harry on the other hand was startled by his captain's sudden question. Why did he follow her? Well, the easy answer would be that he just did. There wasn’t really any thought to it. But, Harry knew that there was. At least now. Uma was more than just his captain. She was his goddess. She was his everything. He lov- No. Harry couldn’t think of that word. Not here.  _

_ “There’s no reason why I shouldn’t.” Harry started as he put the brush aside, “You’re an amazing woman, Uma. A natural leader. Smart. Cunning. Wicked...Gorgeous…” He placed his hands on her hips and guided her closer to him. Harry moved so that she was straddling his hips with her legs on either side of his.  _

_ “You’re everything a pirate...You’re everything I would want in a leader.” He continued as he drew circles on her hips, “I follow you because you entrance me with the way you move, the way you speak, and the way you act.” _

_ Uma brushed her fingers against his cheek. Harry had been faithful to her from the beginning. He never questioned her motives and always went along with her plans. She cherished the pirate’s presence and company. Uma could always count on him like she did tonight. They had disposed of a man who was neglecting his children. Underfed. Underclothed. Unloved. The cobblestones ran red with his blood, and Harry had not blinked when he saw her sword dripping. He had just given her a cloth to clean it up. _

_ “My faithful first mate…” Uma whispered against Harry’s lips. She could feel his erratic breathing against her lips and the tensing of his body. “My darling worshipper...You want more than that, don’t you? More than following me around. More than pledging your loyalty to me.”  _

_ Harry growled as his eyes darkened with lust. He didn’t dare close the space between them. He didn’t dare to let his hands wander. Not without her permission. Never without her permission. No matter how much he craved her, Harry would never make that move without her allowing him to do so. _

_ He closed his eyes as Uma settled down on his lap, one of her hands sliding down his chest while the other tangled in his hair. “You’re so good to me…” Her voice teased his very soul as if she was some kind of devil tempting him to make a deal. Harry knew that he’d do it without a thought.  _

_ Uma’s grip tightened on his hair and his eyes flew open. Her dark eyes fluttering and filled with desire as she brushed her lips against his. Harry groaned and let out a whimper. _

_ “Mine.” Uma whispered into his ear. With a soft, devious chuckle, Uma looked him in the eyes and said the words he was dying to hear. _

_ “...Worship me, Harry. Show me just how devoted you are...Touch me.”  _

_ Harry didn’t need to be told twice as he hungrily crashed his lips against hers. _

Harry Hook had managed to catch the eye of the most attractive girl on the Isle. His treasure. His goddess. His temptress. Of course, Harry had been with other girls but no one captivated his heart like Uma. There was just something about her that he desired. He craved her. Her attention. Her praise. Her words. Everything. Not even Maleficent’s daughter, Mal could do that to him. He had toyed around with her for a few days, never going farther than saying things to make her want him. But the moment he laid eyes on Uma, that ended. Mal never crossed his mind again until she packed up and went on her merry way.

_ Mal. _ The whole reason Harry was practically skipping to Ursula’s Fish and Chips shoppe. People quickly moved away from the mad pirate when they saw his signature cheshire grin on his face. With the shop in sight, Harry sauntered through the doors humming the song from earlier. He couldn’t wait to tell Uma the news. Hopefully, his captain would be in a better mood after it.


	7. Mama's Story

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh! This chapter was a lot of work! I mixed and rearranged a few things with The Little Mermaid's lore and Greek Mythology. It was a LOT of cross-referencing and timeline work so I hope you appreciate it! People being excited about my story makes me work extra hard on it.  
> Warning: You might enjoy this chapter!

Ursula pulled her tentacle from the front room and chuckled to herself. Uma had taken after her mother, but definitely had the combined temper of her father. Ursula sighed and sunk further into the freezing water. She hadn’t put much thought into Uma’s father these past years, because all they brought was pain and sorrow. It seems that no matter what she did or what form she took, Ursula was always the villain. 

Villain. Ursula chuckled to herself. Out of all the words that could be used, ‘Villain’ was the one her accusers had chosen. It had been years since she heard someone say her real name. She moved around in the water and approached the broken mirror. Under the illusion that hid her, no mirror could disguise her true self. Her dark skin, brown eyes, long black dreadlocks mirrored back at her. 

_“Calypso…”_

Calypso was ashamed of what she had become. An untamable goddess of the seas who sailors feared but worshipped. The next ruler of Atlantica was a warrior with thick skin but a weak heart. Calypso was only doing what her nature had beckoned her to do, but apparently, it was too much for her father, Atlas. Too much that he had chosen her brother, Triton, over her and revoked her birthright. A bitter laugh left her lips. 

Calypso had heard that there was also a little Sparrow trapped in this cage as well. My, it had been so long since she had the pleasure of seeing his face. The last time she saw him, he was running from the jaws of death. Her grandfather talked of him highly when he was still able to communicate with her. Jack Sparrow had passed all of the tests that were thrown at him, but fate was a cruel woman. Before Poseidon could bless Jack, all of the villains were banished to this accursed Isle. Even those six feet under didn’t have the pleasure of escaping this nightmare. 

“Ma!” Uma’s voice was cut through the water like nothing. Calypso turned away from the mirror and surfaced to greet her daughter.

“Uma, darling.” Calypso greeted her precious little treasure. It was ironic how Uma dressed the same way Calypso had when she was imprisoned on land. She assumed it was the sea witch blood running through them that caused this. Uma walked to the edge of the water pool and sat down after removing her boots. The jewels on her necklaces clinked against each other as she got situated. She loved how her daughter’s hair embodied her bloodline. Black for Calypso, grey for her father, and various shades of blue for her attachment to the sea. That’s why she had named her daughter Uma. In Japanese, the word “Umi” means “ocean” and it couldn’t be a better fitting name for a demigod of the sea. 

“I’ve closed up the shoppe and cleaned everything.” Uma said, sighing. She placed her bare feet into the cold water and closed her eyes. The water had always calmed Uma down and helped her to relax. Calypso smiled at her daughter and lifted herself up to sit next to her. 

“Uma, my child…” Calypso trailed off in thought. Uma deserved to know who she really was. She would be turning eighteen in two days, and just because they were trapped under the dome didn’t mean she wouldn’t get her inheritance. 

Calypso looked at her daughter who had opened her eyes, “What is it, Ma?” Uma asked her mother with a confused look on her face. Usually, they just sat in silence before Uma left to go run around with her crew.

“As you know, your eighteenth birthday is-”

“ ‘-the most important day for a sea witch.’” Uma interrupted, “Yes, you’ve been telling me that for years.”

“That I have, but I haven’t told you why…” Calypso watched as Uma perked up and snapped her head to her mother.

“Are you saying that you’re finally gonna tell me?” The excitement in Uma’s voice and eyes was enough to make Calypso laugh. 

“Yes, child. Listen and listen carefully. No interruptions.” The goddess warned her daughter. Too excited to speak, Uma aggressively nodded her head. Calypso clicked her tongue before looking into the dark waters. Uma had always loved her mother’s stories and she was finally getting to hear the one thing she had always wanted. Why her eighteenth birthday was so important.

“Uma, my darling child, you are not just a sea witch.” Calypso glanced at her daughter to see the confused look, “My grandfather is the God named Poseidon. My grandfather made his favorite son, Atlas, the first ruler of Atlantica. Atlas is my father. I was the firstborn child, then was my brother Triton and younger sister Morgana. When I was a young goddess, I was very wild and unpredictable like the sea. There were times where I felt like the sea, which raged as I did and stayed calm when I was. Sailors came to fear and admire my powers, and would send gifts to me for safe passage in return.” 

Calypso took a deep breath, “My father didn’t agree with what I did. On the day of my sixteenth century, Atlas had chosen Triton to become the next ruler of Atlantica. He ignored my birthright because I was an unpredictable force and he didn’t want me on the throne. I was livid. I spent months devising a plan to get the throne back but became sidetracked by a sailor. His name was Davy Jones.” 

Uma’s eyes widened in shock. She could recall the stories Harry’s uncle Jack had told them about the...entity? Jack had drunkenly told them about his adventures of being eaten by a Kraken, chased by Davy Jones for a debt and freeing the Goddess Calypso from her mortal prison. In all her years, Uma would have never guessed that her mother was that very same Goddess. She didn’t even look the way that Jack had described her as!

“I had fallen in love with the man, Davy Jones...and he had fallen in love with me. As a token of my love, I gave Davy Jones the responsibility of ferrying drowned souls to the other side. Once every ten years, he’d be able to come on land to see me, but I was never able to make it. In anguish, he had plotted against me with a group of pirates and together they bound me in my mortal form. Twice, I had been betrayed by those I held dear to me. I became a bitter woman, as I was ripped away from the sea. The closest I could get to it was by becoming a sea witch, the first one in existence.”

Calypso looked to her daughter who was staring at her intently. She gave a watery smile, holding back tears that she refused to shed. Uma’s mind was spinning but steeled herself to hear the rest of her mother’s story. She had to hear the full story. This was the first time she had seen her mother be upset about something. 

“Eventually, I had a chance. In a battle to rule the seas, those silly pirates released me from my prison where I waged my revenge against my lover. In the end, he was killed and returned to the sea in death.” There was silence between them.

“Mama…? How does... Ariel fit into all of this?” Uma mumbled quietly. Calypso chuckled and brushed Uma’s braids out of her face. 

“After I was released, I returned home to Atlantica. My heart in anguish, I stormed the palace and demanded my throne back...but I was too late. My brother had been crowned King while I was imprisoned, and before I could vouch for myself… he banished me from my home calling me a monster. He knew what had happened with the Kraken and the war over the seas. Triton had assumed that it was all my doing. Hundreds of people were sent to a watery grave...So I became what he called me, and built a home for myself while my brother ruled and had a family. My gift to Ariel was Sabastian. See, I have a strong connection to the sea and the creatures that like within it. I'm sure it'll be the same for you..."

"As much as my brother loved to call himself King, he was just a merman. His connection to the sea was not as great as my own. My grandfather had taken pity on me and let me see Davy Jones once more before he was taken away again...Then, I became a hermit and forsook my hold on the sea. Calypso became nothing more than a myth told to scare sailors, and Ursula took her place. A nasty sea witch that took advantage of others. Little Ariel...she was so bright-eyed and in love. She had even met Prince Eric the way I had met Davy Jones. Ariel...she reminded me of myself and Davy Jones, and it disgusted me. Why should she get what she wanted when all I had was pain? I saw her as my perfect bargaining chip to get my throne back, but you know how that story ends. I was killed in a form I had assumed and wasn't able to reform a body. I became one with the ocean and I had enjoyed it until we were brought here.”

“So what you're saying is that I’m not just a sea witch...but a demigod? And that I'm cousins with Ariel and her sisters?” Uma said slowly. She was trying to fit all of the pieces together in her mind.

“Yes,” Calypso nodded, “When we were all brought to the Isle, I had discovered shortly after that I was pregnant with you. How? I don't know. I ponder over it every day....but, Uma, when you turn eighteen, your powers are supposed to settle and you’ll become an official demigod. In some ways, you’re lucky to have been trapped in a magicless place so your powers didn’t lash out while they developed… but that didn’t necessarily cut you off completely. When you get out, seek out your great-grandfather, Poseidon. Claim your title, my little goddess.”

“Woah…” Uma breathed out. She didn’t just have magic but she was also a being of magic?! Uma shook her head in disbelief. This was a lot for her to take in. I mean...her mother- Ursula didn’t really exist! Ursula was actually Calypso who was her real mother?! And she is a DEMIGOD?! A DEMIGOD?!

“W-Why are you telling me this now? Why didn’t you wait for my eighteenth birthday?” Uma stammered out. 

Calypso sighed sadly, “You have a very important life ahead of you, child. That’s all that I can say… Now, run along and go back to the shoppe. I believe someone has something to tell you.”

Uma looked at her mother in silence before sighing and standing up. She knew her mother was done with the conversation. She watched as Calypso slipped back under the water. The only evidence of her mother being there was the dark shadow of her body in the water. Slowly, Uma pulled her boots back on and walked to the front of the shoppe. Just as she sat down, Uma heard the pounding of boots on the dock as the front door was slammed open. Startled, Uma pulled out a sword and pointed it at the door. 

“UMA! You’re not going to believe this!” Harry’s voice rang out before Uma realized who it was. She sighed and put her sword on the countertop. 

“What is it, Harry-” Uma didn’t get the chance to finish as Harry picked her up and twirled her around. Uma squealed and laughed as she got dizzy from her first mate’s actions.

“Okay, okay! Put me down!” Uma laughed. Harry placed her down and waited for her to steady herself. He cleared his throat and gave her a wicked grin.

“...Mal has returned to the Isle… all by her lonesome.” 

Uma’s eyes widened. She couldn’t pinpoint what emotions she was feeling right now. Anger. Excitement. Horror. Mal returning to the Isle was good news and bad news. One, she was alone. That was a death sentence on the Isle. Two, she’ll want her territory back… not like Uma would ever give it up while she was alive. Mal’s old territory used to be the poorest party of the Isle. Everything had to go through Maleficent and those old crones. Anything that looked remotely good was given to Maleficent as payment for living in her territory. Mal didn’t even come down to the port when the shipments came in unlike her friends. Uma wasn’t even sure that Mal knew Carlos, Jay, and Evie would come down to the port to help unload.

“This is good, Harry. If we can get Mal to back down from taking her territory, all we’d have to do is convince beasty to release the kids!” Uma looked at Harry in excitement, “We need to figure out a plan, stat! Get the crew, we’re meeting at the _Lost Revenge_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo? What'd you think? Do you think I did a good job with Ursula and Calypso? I was very pleased with how it turned out! I can't believe I managed to do that. Uma is one set away from having a mental breakdown about her recent discovery. Anyway, things are heating up! I'm really excited for once King Beasty, Harry and Uma cross paths!  
> ~Kitty


	8. To the Isle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I said it once, and I'll say it again....you guys are spoiled. Enjoy the chapter!  
> ~Kitty

It was late at night in Auradon. Most of the school was sleeping while Ben snuck out of the building. Ben was still a teenager and being King didn't stop him from acting like one at times. After grabbing Carlos and Jay, they made a plan to go get Mal from the Isle. The guys were just as confused as Evie was about her leaving. They rushed down the steps to the parked limousine that was waiting for them. One privilege of being the King is that people generally didn't question him when he went anywhere. Ben, Jay, Carlos, and Evie were all leaving in the night to go get Mal. They could get in and out of the Isle with less suspicion and the more dangerous people wouldn’t be out. At least, that's what they had told him. Evie had insisted on Ben changing his clothes so he wouldn’t stick out like a sore thumb. Ben was wearing more leather than he had ever worn in his life. 

Ben still couldn’t process what was happening. Just hours beforehand, he and Mal were still together and getting ready to go on a picnic. In the blink of an eye, he ends up single and is sneaking out of the castle to go bring his ex-girlfriend back. There was a part of Ben that didn’t want to do this. He didn’t want to go get Mal. She had made her decision to leave Auradon, to leave him and her friends. Mal wasn’t even bold enough to say it to their faces but here he was. When had Ben become so...pathetic?

“Jay! Keys, remote.” Ben got Jay’s attention and threw them at him. Jay had earned his license within the past month and loved going out for a drive. If they couldn't find him on the school grounds, chances were he was driving around. Ben trusted him more than anyone to get them to the Isle and navigate the area. Ben didn't know the Isle and neither Evie nor Carlos had gotten their license yet. As they reached the bottom of the steps, Evie gasped and called out to them.

“Wait! Something’s wrong.” The guys tensed and looked at Evie, who walked over to Ben. She reached up and pulled his beanie down further. Ben chuckled and gave a sigh of relief that was interrupted by an unknown voice. 

“Shotgun!” The four of them whirled in the direction of the voice. Their eyes landed on a dog sitting on the steps behind them. Jay, Evie, and Ben looked at Dude, Carlos’ dog, in shock.

“No, Dude, stay. The Isle is way too dangerous!” Carlos commanded him. He didn't seem shocked in the slightest. The dog in question groaned and pawed at his face. They gasped and Jay pointed at Dude. 

“Did he just…?”

“Talk?” Carlos said breathlessly, “Yeah, I know. I’ll tell you later.” 

Jay nodded, and they all rushed to the car. Talking dogs aside, they had a mission to complete before the sun came back up. Quickly getting inside, Evie gave Jay the directions, 

“Once we cross the bridge, park under the pier in the old garage.”

As they pulled away from Auradon, Carlos glanced at Ben. The King looked like he was having an internal conflict with the deep frown on his face. Ben just couldn't understand where his mind was at. Didn't he love Mal? Did he ever love Mal? Why was he having such a hard time?

“So, if you don’t mind me asking, why did Mal leave?”

Ben looked at Carlos and sighed, “We got into a fight today. I found out that Mal was lying to me about doing well here. She had been using magic to make things easier for herself. I thought she was genuinely enjoying her life here, but I guess not…”

Evie placed her hand on Ben’s shoulder, “I’m sorry, Ben. It seemed like she was doing well to all of us too. I mean, we’ve all found things that we enjoy and love doing. The Isle had always been a bad place for us.” Evie had told Ben the milder parts about the Isle such as their abusive parents but left it very vague. She didn’t want to horrify Ben with everything going on in the Isle or make the King feel guilty. All she wanted to do was forget about her past.

Carlos nodded his head, “Yeah, my mother wasn’t the greatest, and coming to Auradon gave me a chance at my own life.” Carlos could remember the hours he’d spend locked in his mother’s wardrobe huddled in a corner. The beartraps hanging just waiting for him to slip up and get caught in their jaws. Just as worse, the number of days of school he had to makeup because she had beat him too badly. He flinched remembering his screams while she yelled at him.

“One that we wouldn’t have gotten if we stayed on the Isle.” Jay continued. The scar on the back of his head felt like it was burning. His father had hit him over the head with a lamp which had cut him. The cut was so deep that he fell unconscious before Harry Hook had started to stitch it closed. A soft sigh left Jay's lips at the thought of the homicidal pirate. He tightened his grip on the steering wheel and stared at the road ahead of him. 

“...That’s not the only thing…” Ben started slowly, “When I found out, she tried to spell me to forget it. I know this wasn’t her first time trying to spell me, but… I didn’t think she’d sink so low.”

Evie gasped and Carlos whipped his head around, “She tried to spell you?!” They were under the impression that Mal wasn’t relying on her spellbook as much as she used to. Evie didn’t think that she’d try to spell Ben again after the first time. Evie chuckled bitterly to herself. Then again, this was Maleficent's daughter they were talking about. The same girl who had humiliated her at her own birthday party, bullied Carlos, and tried to sleep with Jay.

Ben nodded his head, “I don’t know if I can trust her enough anymore to be with her, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t deserve to be in Auradon.” He was still confused about what he should do about her. He was more on the side of completely accepting the break up with her and ruling his kingdom on his own. Yet, Ben didn’t know if he could make that decision with how happy his parents were with him finding someone. Everyone told him that a King needed a Queen, but...that didn't stop Triton from ruling Atlantica on his own.

“That’s very noble of you.” Evie said, “We understand and don’t blame you at all if you decide that you don’t want to be with her. We’re still your friends, Ben. You choosing your happiness isn't going to make us hate you.” The more Evie thought about it, the more she realized how crazy she was for being friends with the purple-haired girl. What was she thinking?

Carlos and Jay agreed with her. They were thinking the same things as Evie. When had they decided to become friends with their tormenter? Was it because of their parents or because of the Isle? Why did they change what they had for Mal?

“Thanks, guys.” Ben smiled. The car ride the rest of the way was silent with one person on their minds. Mal.

***

Jay and the others had arrived on the Isle in no time thanks to speeding. They quickly got out of the limousine and Carlos scanned the area. Now that they were on the Isle, the pressure was on to find Mal and leave. The Isle was a dangerous place and bringing the King here wasn’t a wise decision. They needed to hide the car and get going. Carlos’ eyes landed on a long piece of fabric that would be useful in covering up the car. 

“Ben.” Carlos grabbed his attention, “Help me with the tarp.” 

Both Carlos and Ben picked up the tarp and handed the other ends to Jay and Evie. They covered the car as best as they could and Ben couldn’t help but feel strange. Something pulled him towards a large pipe that was sticking through the wall. He walked over to the huge pipe in the wall by the car and tried to see through it. For some odd reason, Ben really wanted to see what was at the other end. There was a faint light and the soft smell of ocean water. 

“Hey, what’s in here?” Ben called out to the others. They looked up from the car and hurriedly went to pull Ben away from the pipe. Ben could see the anxiety on their faces and felt bad for bringing them back here.

“You don’t want to know, alright?” Jay said to him as they managed to turn him away. They couldn’t get sidetracked, especially when people on the Isle wouldn’t be happy to see any of them. The last thing they needed was for their parents to find out that they were back on the Isle. None of them wanted to be trapped there again. It was a place of nightmares that they were happy to be able to escape.

They guided Ben away from the car and down a series of alleyways. Their noses burned with the stench in the air. As Evie rounded the corner, two little kids jumped out and grabbed at her coin purse. She grabbed the little girl’s wrist and glared at them before she got a good look. Their hair was dirty, clothes a lot more scuffed and soiled than usual on the Isle. Evie sighed at their hollow and dirty faces and gave the kids her coin purse. Her heart ached to know that they were seriously suffering if they attempted to jump someone like her. She turned to face the boys, ready to get a move on before she noticed that Ben had disappeared. Evie let out a frustrated groan and took off running.

Ben had wandered further up ahead by himself, as he didn’t notice the mess Evie had gotten into. He arrived in an open part of the alley where a lone man was standing. Ben glanced around excitedly, his inner beast absolutely ecstatic about exploring the new territory. The place just radiated danger and his instincts were working in overdrive. Forgetting where he was for a moment, Ben slowly approached the man. He was wearing very soiled clothes that seemed to be too big for him and had many holes. 

“Hey.” Ben said politely, but the man growled at him while brandishing a knife and started to advance on him. Ben’s instincts kicked in on seeing the knife and he let out a very low warning growl. Already volatile, it didn’t take much for Ben to release his hold on his beast side. He could feel his eyes change and he got ready to fight. It wasn’t the first time Ben would have to fight someone, so he didn’t hesitate. He wouldn't hesitate. 

The guy lashed out erratically with his knife and Ben jumped back. As the man stumbled forward, seemingly intoxicated, Ben kicked his knee out and slashed his claws across the guy’s face. The guy fell forward, yelling in pain, forgetting about the knife in his hand until he landed on it. Screaming in pain with blood pouring from his eyes and the knife wound in his shoulder, Ben lifted his foot and stomped on the back of the guy’s head which knocked him unconscious.

From behind him, Evie, Jay, and Carlos came running out of the tunnel. The sound of their shoes caused Ben to look over to them. The three of them stood there stunned at the scene in front of them. Ben’s golden eyes focused on them and caused them to inhale in shock. 

“Ben, what happened?!” Evie hissed at him as she quickly approached him. Jay and Carlos took a second longer before they came over to him.

“Why is that guy bleeding out on the ground?! Are you okay?” Carlos asked him in alarm. Jay grabbed him by the shoulders and quickly examined him for any wounds. His heart was pounding in his chest, while he thought of any possible wounds that could have occurred. 

“I’m fine.” Ben said with a slightly deeper voice than usual as his eyes changed back.

“We noticed that you were gone, and then we heard the screaming...”

A moment of silence passed through them as Ben processed what they said to him. He had really worried them. They weren't acting like this just to stay in his good books. They were genuinely worried about him being wounded or killed. They were being genuine friends. 

“I’m okay, guys. Really.” Ben motioned to the guy on the floor behind him, “I dealt with it. The scream wasn’t mine. It was his, and I don’t have a scratch on me.”

They looked at Ben in shock, who gave them a small smile. 

“Y-You did this?” Carlos stuttered out. His eyes flickered between the guy and Ben. He couldn't believe that Ben had done that. He was such a gentle soul who didn't like killing spiders, much less getting into a fight with someone and possibly killing them!

“I did,” Ben nodded his head, “but we’ll talk more about it later, okay? Not here. We have somewhere we need to be.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ben's a badass at heart. Ahhhh I'm excited! The next chapter is when everything starts to fall into place. We have some doubt circling through Evie, Carlos, and Jay's minds about Mal. What's going to happen now?


	9. Heart Strings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm tired. Very tired, but I wanted to get this out to you guys before I got too busy this week. I hope you enjoy it! I might come back to edit this chapter later. Anyway, goodnight! It's like 1:30am...

Gil was off slinking through the alleyways after he got kicked out of Ursula’s shoppe. He really had the tendency to put his foot in his mouth and it was something he tried to work on. It was hard when half of the time he didn’t even notice what he said. Uma had temporarily closed the shoppe and Gil was still hungry. He really wanted something to eat and knew the right area he could go to. There was an alley about a ten-minute walk away. Well, a ten minute walk away for Gil who always got sidetracked when he was walking. Since he worked out regularly it was important for Gil to eat enough food to balance out the weight he was losing. Uma was very serious when it came to the health and well-being of her crew. He didn’t want to let her down. 

Gil had managed to find Harkie’s little produce stand in the alley. He was snagging a couple of eggs that he’d be able to boil when he got back to Uma’s. Gil wanted to avoid going home until it got darker so he wouldn’t have to deal with his family. They were suspiciously interested in the amount of time he was spending with Uma and Harry. After grabbing the number of eggs he wanted, Gil winked at Harkie. When he turned around, he came face-to-face with a very familiar face. Gil took a second to look at the dude. He was wearing blue leather that really brought out his eyes. Around him was a group of very familiar people, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it-

“Hey, I know you guys!” Gil said to the group. The guy in front of the group glanced at the others with him before looking back to Gil. Although it had been some time, Gil recognized Mal's gang. Although, he couldn't remember the name of the guy in the front for some reason. He knew he had seen him with Mal before. 

“I’m sorry, man...I don’t recognize you.” The no-named guy responded. Gil looked at him in confusion. Everyone on the Isle knew who he was, either because of his father or Uma. He had to know who he was if he was hanging out with Evie, Jay, and Carlos. 

“Uh, yeah, you do...Come on man, really?” There was an awkward silence and Gil sighed. 

“Dude, I’ll give you a hint! My dad is quick, slick, and his neck…” Gil motioned towards his own neck, “...is incredibly thick.” Ben looked at the others who just glanced back at him. He didn’t know how to respond to the guy in front of him. Ben and the others noticed when Gil glanced behind them and looked to where he was looking. Directly behind the group was a poster of Ben and Mal! Gil looked back and forth at the poster before it clicked, “Oh! That’s why you look familiar! You’re King Ben!”

Evie panicked and grabbed Ben’s arm, pulling him away from Gil. They ran away from Gil who noticed who they were too. A large grin crossed his face as Gil realized that Uma was going to love this new information. Mal AND King Ben?! He turned around and started to run back to the shop.

***

After running into Gil, they finally arrived at the hideout. Jay picked up a rock and threw it at the sign, triggering the cage guarding the door to open. Ben walked over to the stairs and paused at the bottom. 

“Am I really doing this?” He asked them. They looked at him in silence, and Carlos stepped forward. He was messing around with his fingers like he did when he was nervous.

“Do you want to?” Carlos asked softly. 

“I have to.” Ben sighed. Evie stepped forward and put her hand on his shoulder. She gave it a slight squeeze and Ben looked her in the eyes.

"We'll be waiting down here for you, no matter what happens." Evie gave him a soft smile.  Jay stepped forward and nodded his head in an encouraging way.

"Wish me luck..." Ben sighed and gave them a nod before turning around and walking up the stairs.

The vibration of the metal stairs underneath his boots makes him slightly uncomfortable. Ben felt like the stairs might give out underneath him if he stepped too hard, causing him to go a bit faster.

When he got to the top of the stairs, there was one single metal door staring back at Ben. Taking a deep breath, he opened the door and walked up another small flight of stairs. entered a large studio room with white walls. It smelled of spray paint which made his sensitive nose burn. Ben took a deep breath and pushed the burning sensation to the back of his mind. The walls were decorated with large, black thorns, and phrases such as “Revenge” and “Live Evil.” Further into the room, Ben could hear the sound of a paint can rattling and walked in on Mal painting the wall. He examined the portrait and briefly raised an eyebrow.

“At least I don’t see a picture of me with horns and a pitchfork.”

Mal whirled around startled by the sound of Ben’s voice behind her, “Ben?!”

Ben stared at Mal in silence. She had changed a lot about herself in a short amount of time that she was gone. The blonde hair was dyed back to a purple color and she had newly acquired bangs. The... bangs didn't suit her face very well.

“Mal...I-I’m...I...” Ben glanced down at the ring in his hands, contemplating. Was he seriously doing this? This might be the only way that Mal would come back, and he loved her...right? Ben took another deep breath before holding it out, “I'm so sorry about our fight. It was all my fault. Please come home.”

“...Ben,” Mal sighed, “I am home.”

“...I-I brought the limo. It's a sweet ride...” Ben didn't know what to say past his first sentence. He knew that this conversation was already heading south before he got too far into it. 

“...I don't fit in, Ben. I really gave it my best shot. And if you think that I can change, then I think you’re wrong.” Mal shook her head.

“Then-Then I’ll change. I’ll skip school. Have more fun. You know, I’ll blow off some more responsibilities.” Ben said desperately. What would happen if Mal didn't come back? Would his citizens doubt him and his belief that the villain kids deserved a chance? The daughter of Maleficient returning to the Isle although she was given a chance? He loved her too! Right? Right?!

“No, No! See, I’m such a terrible influence. It's only a matter of time before I do something so messed up that not only does the Kingdom turn on me, but they turn on you!” Mal aggressively shook her head. She looked as if she was panicking. 

“Don’t quit us, Mal. The people won't turn on me because I'm with you.” Ben placed his ring in her gloved hand, “The people love you...I-I l-love you...” Ben was fighting against himself. Why was he fighting against himself? Mal had said no, so why couldn't he just let this go? Ben felt his beast side pushing against something. His chest started to feel tight and his breathing became slightly labored.

Mal picked up the ring and examined it. A smile crossed her face before she placed the ring back in Ben’s hands, “Ben...I can’t do this.” Mal stepped away from him and picked up her spray can again. 

“You should go.” There's a brief silence. 

“Please! GO!” Mal snapped at Ben before turning around to her portrait on the wall.

Ben froze. W-What had he been doing wrong? He gave Mal everything. Everything! He was patient with her and let her handle things in her own way. When his mother had suggested that she be taught proper royal manners, Ben had fought her against it. As a result, his mother was upset with him for a week because Mal was supposed to start learning their customs if she was going to be Queen.  Ben's heart constricted painfully before he felt like something snapped. He hissed quietly in pain quickly putting his hand on his chest. Ben blinked rapidly as spots clouded his vision and he got dizzy.

Disoriented, Ben stood there looking at her for a moment while thinking to himself. What had just happened? Why couldn't he feel anything towards Mal? It was like all of his emotions related to her just vanished, except for a wave of intense anger. There wasn't even a warning as Ben snarled and slammed his hand down on the table next to him. There was a clattering sound and a gasp as Mal jumped and dropped the spray can she was holding. 

Ben could feel his eyes change as he growled deeply. Anger flooded through him in waves as his eyes landed on her. Mal stared at him with wide eyes and a horrified expression on her face. Ben narrowed his eyes at her, snarling one more time before he whirled around and rushed to the exit. His mind was in a panicked frenzy. What had just happened? Why was he so angry? Ben was taking deep breaths and trying to calm himself down. Painfully, the sound of the stairs echoed loudly in his mind as he descended. It seemed as if the stairs were never-ending until he could see Evie and Jay at the entrance. Seeing their faces helped to calm him down a bit. 

“So… Where’s Mal?” Evie questions him as he comes into her view. That made his anger spike again. 

“She’s not coming back.” He says to her through gritted teeth, while continuing to walk.

“What?” Ben hears Evie say as his feet hit the concrete, but he didn’t stop to respond. He needed to calm down before he broke something or someone. He could feel his hands shaking and he kept reminding himself to breathe.

Ben kept on walking down the alley just letting his instincts guide him. He didn’t care that it was dangerous to go alone. Ben wanted to be anywhere but back there. So he followed the pulling feeling in his mind. When he was far enough away, the pulling feeling stopped and he looked up in confusion. Ben realized that he should turn back before they started to worry about him. When he stopped walking and went to turn around, he felt a bag slip over his head and someone grabbed him from behind. Startled, Ben struggled while growling viciously and went to call out before something hit his head, and the world around him disappeared. 

Back at the hideout, Carlos notices that Ben is gone. They were too busy trying to figure out what to do about Mal that they forgot he wasn't with them. In a panic, Evie yells his name down the alleyway hoping to see him appear. She forgot that they were supposed to be keeping a low profile. After a few anxious seconds, through the smoke, a figure appears and Evie sighs in relief thinking that it’s Ben.

“Ben,” Evie sighed, “Don’t scare us like that!” There was no response until the figure got closer to the light. The silhouette seemed to be slightly larger than Ben's. 

“Don’t scare you...?” A Scottish voice sounded, “...That’s my specialty.” 

Carlos’ eyes widened in horror as Harry Hook stepped into the light. A mischievous air seemed to follow him as he stood in front of the group. He had changed a lot in the past six months. Harry seemed to be even more deranged than usual as well as his muscles being more defined. His eyes seemed to show that his mind wasn't all there and that was dangerous. Evie and Jay moved closer to Harry while Carlos took a small step back. His eyes roamed wildly back and forth, expecting Uma to pop out of the shadows too.

“Harry.” Evie breathed out in shock, while Jay glared at him shouting, “What did you do to Ben?!”

Harry’s eyes lit up deviously as he motioned back towards the alleyway, “Oh, uh, we nicked him. Mmm-hmm.” He looked from Evie to Carlos, “Yeah, um...and if you want to see him again have Mal come to the Chip Shoppe tonight… alone. No funny business.” Harry warned them, “Uma wants a little visit.”

Jay growled and took another step towards the pirate. What was the coincidence that the very man he was thinking of shows up in front of him? The very same pirate who'd pull the broken glass from his cuts and stitch him up. The very pirate he used to have feelings for. Jay took a deep breath and sighed, "At least tell me that Ben will be okay, Hook...Please."

Evie and Carlos sucked in a breath. Jay never said please unless it was to either of them, not even Mal had that luxury. The group stared at Harry in silence as they waited for a response. Harry cocked his head to the side and pouted, “Awww, Jay. Seems like you’ve lost your touch. You're actually asking me politely? What'd they teach you in Auradon? Remedial Goodness 101? ” Harry laughed. While laughing, he didn't see the flinch from Evie or hear the slight snicker from Carlos. Jay tried to lunge at Harry who stared him down and stood his ground. Evie had grabbed a hold of Jay to keep him from starting a fight with the deranged pirate. It wouldn't do any good if Jay got harmed as well. 

"...Well, that's up to Mal, now isn't it?" Harry gave them a mischievous smile before turning around and strutting away while whistling. If there was one thing that they couldn't fault Harry for, it would be his dramatic entrances and exits. 

Jay watched his old friend strut away and felt a pang in his chest. He and Harry had been such good friends before Mal had tried to sink her fingers into him. The moment Mal tried to sleep with Harry and Jay was when a line was drawn. Harry pulled away and Jay's father forced him to get close to the girl. Shortly after, Harry had found Uma and there was no chance to rekindle their friendship. Although they were in enemy gangs, it was Jay's father who kept him away from the pirate. Harry and Jay had such good memories together. They would get into trouble together and steal things from people. When he needed someone, Harry was there. If it was late at night or early morning, Harry didn't care. Jay did the same for Harry and would meet up with him in the dead of night. Jay knew that Harry's loyalty to Uma wasn't fake. Harry may have been a thief, liar, and had murderous tendencies but he was loyal above all else. How had Jay lost that loyalty? How had he lost a friend like Harry? Jay was lucky to still have Carlos by his side, and Evie was a great friend...but as the saying goes... He and Harry used to be as thick as thieves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I fully believe that Harry and Jay would have been amazing friends on the Isle. Jay was a master thief and Harry was a pirate as well as a thief. There's no way they couldn't have been friends or had friendly competitions about who could steal the most. Jay/Harry friendship dynamic will be making more of an appearance. If you can't tell, I am not a fan of Mal as a character. She is very flawed in many ways but Disney wants her to be like the most perfect person-. At the end of the story, I'll post a bonus chapter discussing it! Feel free to leave your opinions. Thank you to those who have commented! I really enjoyed interacting with you guys!  
> ~Kitty


	10. Negotiations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter!! Enjoy!

Uma was having a miserable night until both Harry and Gil came to her with interesting news. Her mother had told her about her father, about her history, about her magic. That wasn't something she could ignore. There was so much more to her than she previously believed. Uma was a demi-god. Not only was her entire childhood taken away from her, but her birthright too? But, that had to be pushed to the back of her mind for now. Mal was back on the Isle, and what was even more important? Her dearest King Ben was here on the Isle looking for her! Uma knew she couldn’t pass up an opportunity to set the children free and get back at the purple-haired urchin. So, Uma had sent her crew out to catch a little beast. Her main plan wasn’t to get back at Mal but to save the children on the Isle. The conditions were only getting worse and they needed to act fast. Harry had come back fifteen minutes ago to whisper to his captain that the deed was done. They had Ben in their possession. It was only a matter of time before Mal came flying through the front doors.

She didn’t have to wait much longer. Uma dropped a plate of fish cakes in front of a customer who complained that she didn’t get what she wanted and rolled her eyes. 

“Life ain’t fair!” Uma barked at the women, “We’re out!” 

Not even seconds later, Mal walked through the doors like she owned the place. She stood there with her hands on her hips like a bratty diva waiting for someone to acknowledge her. None of the customers even glanced in her direction, as she watched Uma serve customers. The daughter of the sea witch was covered by a dirty apron from her waist down. Her dyed hair was in immaculate braids underneath a tri-corn hat. Mal scoffed internally. Uma loved to pretend that she was important. Ever since she won that old and decrepit pirate ship she had an inflated ego.

Uma dropped another tray in front of a customer before glancing towards the doors. She briefly saw an obnoxious flash of purple and groaned internally. When Mal noticed Uma looking at her she sang out, “I’m baack.” Uma could easily sense the disgust she felt towards the girl. Leave it to Mal to expect everyone else to worship the ground she walked on without earning it. 

“Ahh, Mal. So kind of you to show up.” Uma sarcastically announced as she rolled her eyes. She indicated to the empty table in front of her, “Right this way, please.” Then, she kicked an empty chair in Mal’s direction who stopped it with her hand. Mal winced slightly as she had stopped the chair with her damaged hand. Even under the gloves that she was wearing, the cut stung like crazy. 

Uma chuckled, noticing the wince, but decided against pointing it out. Harry had told her what happened at Dizzy’s place. Another reason for Uma to be upset with her. They’d have to go back at another time to make sure that Madam Tremaine is keeping her end of the deal. Uma didn’t like people who broke her deals, especially when it involved the children. Mal was already getting in the way and she hadn't been back on the Isle for a whole day. 

“Place still stinks.” Mal turned the chair around so the back was facing the table before sitting down. She looked around the place with a bored expression. Her washed-out purple hair dye clashed strongly with the paleness of her skin. Uma smirked to herself seeing the unflattering bangs on Mal's forehead. The only person on the Isle who knew how to do that was Dizzy. 

Uma smirked, “I'm pretty sure that's just you, princess. But, I'll let our butler know the place needs to be aired out.”

“Where is he?” Mal demanded. ‘ _Straight to the point, huh?_ ’ Uma pulled off her apron and dropped it on the floor. She’d have to tread carefully if she planned on getting the wand from Mal. As usual, she’d have to do everything herself.

Uma clicked her tongue and the buzzing noise in the shoppe quieted down. She crossed her arms and stared down at Mal, who refused to look up at her.

“Straight to the point, hmm?” Uma ignored Mal’s question. “You want something from me, and I’m enjoying watching you squirm like a worm on a hook. You know, I never imagined that this day would come...The day Maleficent's daughter realized that she’s not who she says she is. You want everyone to think you're a badass but all I see is a lowlife bitch who only cares about herself.”

“I’m so flattered that you think of me. I haven’t given you thought since I left.” Mal flatly responded. The jab at her hurt more than she cared to acknowledge. That’s not the kind of person she was. She tried her hardest to help others, but she'd never let anyone have more power than she did.

Uma slammed her hand down on the table in a wave of anger, “Obviously.” She leaned in close to Mal, “You don't think about anyone but yourself. You have your perfect little life, don’t you? Being waited on hand and foot, eating ripe and maggotless food, and having clean clothes. Luxury that no one else on the Isle could ever imagine!” Uma pushed off the table and glanced around the shoppe.

“Doesn’t she have the perfect little life?!” Uma called to the customers. Their laughter filled the air before quieting down again, “...And we’re twenty years into a garbage strike. How does that make you feel Mal? Sitting on the lap of luxury while everyone else starves to death?” Uma rounded back to Mal. Mal stared at her with an unreadable expression. Uma knew the girl was having trouble keeping her temper in check. She never had the best control when it came to not getting what she wanted… spoiled princess. Just like her mother.

“Listen, if you have some kind of score to settle with me, game on. I see no need to bring Ben into this.”

“No need? Oh, Mal… Have you forgotten how things work here on the Isle? Let me remind you that I need insurance. How else was I going to corner you into coming to the shoppe?” Uma was lying through her teeth. There were other ways she could have gotten to Mal, even without her noticing. She always found a way to get her messages across.

“Just like your mother, huh Uma? Always a catch.” Mal knew that the villain's kids hated being compared to their parents. Fights had been started as kids because you called someone by their parent’s name instead of their own. She knew that she'd be able to get under Uma's skin. If anyone hated to be compared to their parent, it was Uma.

Uma chuckled in her head. She knew what Mal was attempting to do. It was common practice when they were kids. Fortunately, Uma had grown up. _‘Oh, if only you knew, Mal… If only you knew.’_ She slid into the chair across from Mal and placed her arm on the table.

“If you win, Ben is free to go...” Uma gestured with her hand. Mal places her arm on the table knowing that she’s going to win the arm wrestle. It was almost laughable that Uma had chosen this form of negotiation. Uma was never strong enough to beat her at anything. The nickname Shrimpy didn't just stick because of what she did to Uma. The little witch was horribly weak. Mal knew that Uma loved to pretend to play pirate and act like she was better than everyone else when she clearly wasn't.

“Don’t you wanna know what I get if I win?” Uma says playfully.

“Not particularly. Your silly little demands don't matter to me. What would it be? My old turf?” Mal mocks her and they clasp hands. The customers in the shoppe got out of their seats to pay close attention to their transaction. They would be the witnesses if anyone decided to cheat. This was good for Uma. Mal was being cocky even though she didn’t know what the stakes were. 

“Last time I checked, your mother thought she had things all sewn up, too, huh? How’d that work out for her again?” Mal’s grip on Uma’s hand tightened for a split second before relaxing. Hm, interesting. That got to her? 

“We start on three... one...two...three!” After a quick countdown, it was on. Uma knew that she wouldn’t have any trouble winning this battle. Not only has she been training every day, but she knew how to outsmart Mal. This would be a fun game for Uma. 

“You know, that whole princess act. Ugh. Never bought it for a second.” Uma teased, “You could stick a tiara on a villain, but you're still a villain.” She was hardly using any of her strength to keep their hands in the center. What kind of captain would she be if she was defeated easily?

“And you can slap a pirate hat on, but you’re still Shrimpy.” Mal rushed out under her breath. Uma let her hand falter for a second to make Mal think that what she said affected her. It did make Uma angry, but she was just tired of the same old insults. Mal didn't know how to be creative.

Thinking that she was winning, Mal let her eyes glow green as she slowly pushed Uma’s hand towards the tabletop. Uma chuckled to herself. Mal’s eyes were supposed to be an intimidation tactic but it only made her look ridiculous in Uma’s eyes. The neon green really clashed with the many different shades of purple in her outfit. Dizzy really didn't do Mal a favor with this new hairstyle either. 

Chuckling, Uma looks Mal in the eyes, “...If I win...you bring me Fairy Godmother's wand.” With her last word, Uma tensed her arm and tightened her grip on Mal’s hand. Shocked by Uma’s words and sudden strength, Mal’s eyes stopped glowing. Seconds later, her hand was slammed onto the tabletop. The sound of the impact echoed through the shoppe and the customers cheered alongside Uma. Distracted by the celebration, Uma didn’t notice Mal’s glare. Of course, Uma had an ulterior motive! How could she be so stupid to assume that all the stupid little squid wanted was to get back at her?! She was going to force Mal to steal the wand and then destroy the dome. She wouldn't allow Uma to set all of the villains free! They would destroy what she had earned!

Uma leaned back down and braced herself against the table, “Now...If you want beasty boy back, bring Fairy Godmother’s magic wand to my ship in two days' time. You have until noon on Saturday.” Uma took a few steps away before she turned around saying, “Oh, and if you blab...you can kiss your baby goodbye. I’m sure I could find some kind of use for the little King.” Uma blew Mal a kiss as she sauntered to the back of the shoppe. If things played out correctly, the children on the Isle would be free. Uma grinned in happiness and glanced at the clock on the wall. There were just a couple more hours left before the shoppe was closed for the night. Then Uma would be able to go greet their royal guest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so excited that I can't stop writing! This is going to be an early warning... This story will be tagged with dark themes because we're getting to see the more dangerous side of the Isle. I will put a warning before the start of each chapter! What's everyone's guess as to what's going to happen?
> 
> ~Kitty


	11. Dispelled

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a lot of fun writing this chapter! There's a surprise waiting for you to read it, so read on!
> 
> Warning: Minor swearing   
> ~Kitty

A pained groan left Ben’s mouth as he slowly came back to reality. His eyes fluttered open and tried to focus in the lamplight. His head hurt and as he tried to move, Ben realized that he couldn’t. There was a sharp pain in his head that muddled his thoughts and made the world feel foggy.

He raised his head and looked around the area that he was in. It looked like a small office with a desk in the center. Everything looked to be made out of wood except for the lanterns and candle stands. It was very clean from what Ben could see with his vision blurring every so often. In the very back corner of the room looked to be a bed. If Ben was right, it was probably just mattresses stacked on top of each other. Looking down he realized that he was tied to a chair in front of the desk. On the desktop, there was a small stack of papers, an inkwell, and a small dagger. The dagger was definitely out of Ben’s reach but it didn’t look like it could cut anything anyway. With a sigh, Ben leaned back against the chair he was in. 

Ben could remember what happened even though he was disoriented. Mal had refused to come back to Auradon with him, and he had felt a wave of pain in his chest before anger took its place. He booked it down the stairwell but not before lashing out and possibly breaking something. Without so much as a glance, Ben just let his instincts guide him away from the situation. Stupidly, he didn’t check to see if Carlos or Jay had followed him. When he realized that he was alone, Ben knew he was supposed to turn back. Before he could walk back, he was grabbed from behind and knocked out. No matter how much he thrashed, whoever had him in their grasp did not let go. 

Kidnapped. Ben had been kidnapped on the Isle of the Lost. Oddly, he wasn’t as worried as he felt like he should be. Maybe it was because he could smell the salt of the ocean or feel the rocking of the waves beneath him. That was the giveaway that he must’ve been on a boat of some kind. He could understand why someone would grab him, but he didn’t know who had grabbed him. 

His friends had warned him that the Isle was a dangerous place and that he had to make sure he stayed with them. Ben was just so angry and confused that he had forgotten. Now he was somewhere on the Isle without his friends around, and quite possibly in a lot of danger. How could he be so reckless? Why had he been so angry all of a sudden? 

His argument with Mal was pathetic and he should have known that she would’ve said no to returning with them to Auradon… but that wasn’t it. Ben wasn’t angry until Mal had yelled at him to leave her alone. He had been fighting with himself during their argument until his beast side had locked onto something and then all he felt was pain. The anger had come immediately and without warning after that. But, why?! Why was he angry?! Why couldn’t he figure this out? 

Ben let out a frustrated huff and snapped his head up at the sound of boots approaching what he assumed was the door. He couldn’t see it but could hear the lock click and the wooden door creak open. There was a quiet shuffling sound before the boots started approaching where Ben was sitting. He took a shaky breath as they stopped just behind him so that he couldn’t see who it was. His heart was racing and if he wasn’t tied down, Ben knew that he’d be shaking. 

A soft chuckle sounded and the person behind him walked around the chair. As they walked to the chair across from him, Ben’s eyes widened at the sight of the person in front of him. A girl slid into the cracked leather chair that was positioned behind the desk. She had long, blue braids that seemed to be decorated with various golden clips and pins. On her head was a black tricorn hat that was decorated with seashells and netting. From what he could see before she had sat down, she was wearing various shades of blue and green leather. What really captured his gaze was her golden seashell necklace that was proudly displayed around her neck. 

“You know...” The girl chuckled softly, “Staring is seen as a threat here.”

Ben’s eyes widened and he quickly looked down at his lap. He could feel his cheeks burn as a blush fought its way onto his face. There was a sound of rustling paper and another chuckle.

“Someone’s a bit shy, are we? Are you going to say something or keep me waiting?”

Ben looked up at the girl who was staring at him with a small smirk on her face. Although he didn’t necessarily know her, he knew of her. The girl in front of him could only be Uma, the daughter of the sea witch, Ursula. Only one person had a necklace like that. Ben cleared his throat and took a deep breath.

“I apologize for the staring. I’m a bit new to the Isle’s customs.” He said to her. He watched as she raised an eyebrow at him and nodded her head.

“Clearly, or you wouldn’t have allowed yourself to be caught...Am I right, King Ben?” She purred. A shiver went down Ben’s spine. He wasn’t used to someone saying his name or title like that. No one on Auradon dared to purr his name in such a sinfully delicious way. It made Ben feel uncomfortably hot as he shifted his feet.

“...You’re right. You would have never known that I was on the Isle.” 

Uma seemed to find this funny as she burst into laughter. Ben was startled at the casual display of emotion from the girl. He didn’t think what he said was funny or even intended to be. Shouldn’t she be more guarded around him? Mal was the first time she met him.

“That’s cute.” Uma was chuckling, “Very cute, but I hate to break it to you, your highness. I would know that you’re here no matter how hidden you think you are. You may be the King of Auradon, but here? The Isle is my kingdom.”

Ben looked at her in confusion. Mal had told him that no one person ruled over the Isle, but Maleficent was as close as it got.

“I thought no one ruled over the Isle. I was told that everyone did their own thing unless Maleficent said otherwise since she had the most power.” An amused look crossed Uma’s face. Ben couldn’t help but think that expression suited her. 

“I’m assuming that Mal was the one to tell you that. She was right in a way. People were scared of Maleficent...but she is gone now. So someone else had to step up to the plate...but I assure you that I am nothing like that old crone. The Isle runs a bit differently than how Mal remembers it... New management.”

Ben stared at Uma intently. He couldn’t really tell if she was lying to him or not. It was true that it had been around six months since Mal had left the Isle, so things were bound to be different. Regardless of being a hostage, right now was the perfect time to find out more about the Isle. Mal never wanted to talk about it in detail or at all with him.

“Tell me about it...” Ben said, “Tell me about the Isle. Obviously what I know about this place is very limited...or outdated.”

Uma chucked and leaned forward. She couldn’t help but think that Ben was an interesting character. Instead of demanding that she let him go, or tell him what she wanted with him, he wanted to know about the Isle. Uma stared at him for a minute. If he wanted to know more about the Isle, then she’d do more than tell him. 

“...Alright, but I’m not just going to tell you about it. I’ll show you too, but that’ll wait until tomorrow.”

There was a knock on the door and Uma lifted her head. It was very late in the night, sometime around one in the morning, and there were very few good reasons someone would be bothering her this late. 

“Enter!” Uma called out.

The door opened and Harry strolled in with a dark look in his eyes. He was standing straight, clenching his jaw as he twirled his hook. He stopped at the side of her desk, got down on one knee, and bowed his head. Ben watched in surprise with a slight interest. He didn’t notice that anyone else was nearby, nor that Uma had a follower. In fact, he didn’t give much thought to how Uma had gotten him here in the first place. Was this guy the one who had grabbed him? 

“ _ Captain _ .” Harry growled in anger, “ _ We have an offender soaked in blood. _ ”

Uma hissed and slammed her hands on the desk, shooting up out of her seat in anger. Ben jumped and went wide-eyed at the sudden change in emotion. The girl, Uma, had just been laughing at him and now she looked utterly murderous. 

“WHO?!” She snarled. She got her answer when Gil staggered into the room.

***

“There is no way we can give Uma the wand!” Evie said in a panic, “We can’t just let her destroy Auradon!” She had been pacing back and forth since Mal told them Uma’s demand. 

“Uma doesn’t get the wand, then Ben is toast, guys. Uma keeps her promises.” Carlos sighed in frustration while running a hand through his hair. He knew better than anyone else in the room what Uma was capable of. They had been best friends since they were kids.

“Great! So we’re gonna have to give Uma, of all people, the wand?!” Evie shouted. There was a moment of silence while everyone thought of another option.

“...Wait! You guys! Your 3D printer!” Mal gasped. 

“A fake wand...” Jay nodded his head, “That’s a possible solution.”

“Yeah, but the second Uma tests it, she’ll know it’s fake! Uma isn’t stupid.” Carlos sighed. 

“Okay, so then we get Ben out really fast. We need some kind of diversion.” Mal scoffed. Uma wouldn't be a problem once they got Ben off of the Isle. They only needed enough time to get to the car and drive away.

“...Smoke bombs!” Jay whirled around and looked at Evie who grinned at him. Evie was amazing at chemistry! Ever since getting to Auradon she really started to thrive in academics. What she couldn’t figure out, Carlos was there to show her. Speaking of Carlos, he had sneakily snapped his fingers and Jay glanced at him in confusion but nodded his head slightly. That was their code that something needed to be discussed, but Jay didn’t know what.

“That’s perfect! I can get the chemicals I need from Lady Tremaine’s place!... That could work!” Evie stated. She walked towards Mal who was standing closer to the door. Evie took a moment to look her up and down before stopping at her hair. It took all Evie had not to break her poker face when she finally got a look. Mal’s hair was...a serious mess. Lady Tremaine wasn’t the greatest when it came to hairstyling, but this… this was a new low. Evie couldn’t help the next words that slipped from her mouth.

“Oh, and sick hair by the way. Evil Stepmom seriously stepped up her game.” She said as she looked closer. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Jay and Carlos raise their eyebrows at her. She could almost hear them mentally question why she just insulted Mal.

“Okay, do you want to know something?” Mal said to her in excitement, “...Dizzy did this.” Evie snapped her eyes to Mal’s face instead of her hair in alarm. Dizzy did this to Mal’s hair? Whenever she helped Evie with her hair, it always turned out amazing. Dizzy had a knack for fashion like Evie did, and that’s why she always tried to get Lady Tremaine to give her a chair. There had to be some kind of reason she messed up Mal’s hair so badly.

“Little Dizzy? Shut up!” Evie laughed in shock.

“I know, I’m like, loving it. It's a lot lighter!” Mal practically squealed to her. Evie was grinning on the outside but was really worried on the inside. Was Dizzy okay? Evie had been gone for a long time… anything could have happened to her.

Carlos and Jay looked at each other in exasperation. First, Evie goes for a low blow and insults Mal...who oddly didn’t seem to pick up on it. They loved Evie to pieces but once she got started on fashion, it was a while before she stopped. Jay would always help her when it came to getting bolts of fabric for her designs, while Carlos calculated out how much she’d need. So, they became well versed in Evie’s speech patterns and ways of talking. They would expect Mal to know that better than the two of them. Then, no matter how important it is that they get going, Mal got distracted by her hair? Where was her sense of urgency to save her ex-boyfriend and the  **King** of Auradon? Carlos let them continue for a few seconds more before Jay cleared his throat. The girls looked over to them and Carlos gestured to them with his hands in frustration.

“Hello?! We have a kidnapped King to save! Kid-napped!” 

Mal looked at them with blank eyes before she shook her head. Carlos shook his head in disbelief.

“Right...Carlos, Jay, you guys meet us at Pirates Bay, no later than noon on Saturday...And you guys? Losing, not an option.” Mal said as she and Evie grabbed their stuff and walked out the door. 

When the sound of the door closing echoed through the room, Jay launched himself onto the couch and looked at Carlos. Carlos stared at him for a moment taking in the position that Jay was lounging on the couch in. His back was cradled in the corner of the couch and the couch arm, while his legs were laid across the couch. Jay had his arms crossed over his chest with a curious expression on his face. 

“So...What did you want to talk about?” Jay said to him. He watched as Carlos hesitated for a moment before he got up out of his chair and walked over to him. He opened his arms as Carlos reached the couch and laid against him. Jay heard Carlos let out a sigh against his neck, as he wrapped his arms around him. This was their favorite position to lay in when they’ve had a long day. Jay could feel Carlos’s breath against his skin as he held his boyfriend close. It was silent while Carlos took in Jay’s warmth before he cleared his throat. He pulled away to look at Jay and saw nothing but concern in his brown eyes.

“Uma is the one who took Ben...but I can’t see her wanting the wand to destroy Auradon.”

“Why do you say that, pet?” 

“Because the Uma I grew up with wasn’t hellbent on world domination! All she wanted was friends and her freedom!” Carlos said slightly hysterically.

“Hey, hey, shhh, calm down. Deep breaths.” Jay said softly as he rubbed Carlos’s arms. Carlos took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He couldn’t let himself get too worked up now.

“...When we were kids, Uma and I did everything together. When my mother would lock me in her wardrobe for days, Uma would be there to console me. She didn’t care that we went to two different schools. She always found out when I was being picked on and was there when I needed her.”

Jay nodded his head. He knew that they used to be friends, but Carlos never had the chance to explain more about it. There were always too many ears around to safely talk about it. When they got to Auradon, they were too focused on helping Mal that they didn’t take time for themselves. Mal had always dragged Evie over to their room since she wasn’t a fan of the girl’s dorms. So, the only time they got a chance to be alone together was in the night, but they’d be too tired to talk deeply.

“Uma used to talk about the day we’d be leaving the Isle. She used to dream that all of the VKs would be able to escape our parents and be free. I can’t imagine she’d want to set our parents free too… I mean… Jay, if you just knew about half of the things that Uma has done...You’d be confused too.” Carlos sighed. Jay looked at Carlos and gave him a soft smile.

“I don’t know much about Uma directly, but from what Harry used to tell me about her… I believe you.”

“You do?” Carlos perked up and looked at his boyfriend.

“Yeah,” Jay chuckled, “I do… I mean… Harry used to go on and on about her. He’d tell me about the children she would fight for, and we saw her beat up some guys that used to pick on you-” Carlos’s eyes were wide with a shocked expression. He looked like he had seen a ghost and that made Jay concerned. 

“Hey.. what’s wrong, pet?” He said softly.

“That-That was Uma? But… the people who saw it happen told me that it was Mal..” Carlos stuttered out. The shocked look slowly turned to horror, causing Jay to straighten up and look at Carlos seriously.

“Carlos. The day that you were jumped outside of Dragon Hall, Uma was the one who fought those guys. She was waiting for you at your usual meet point and took off when she realized you were late. Harry and I watched her. Hell, Harry wanted to join her but we couldn’t get around there fast enough.” Carlos threw himself out of Jay’s arms and started to pace. There were a few seconds of angry mumbling before Carlos grabbed the chair next to him and threw it across the room. 

“THAT  **FUCKER** ! I KNEW IT COULDN’T HAVE BEEN TRUE!” He screamed as the chair hit the wall. Jay’s eyes widened in alarm as Carlos whirled around to him. The anger in his eyes was overpowering.

“ _ She lied to me. _ ” Carlos hissed out, “That was the reason that made my mom decide to pawn me off to  _ Maleficent’s daughter _ . I could’ve been with  _ Uma _ all of this time! At least,  _ she’s _ a loyal friend! At least,  _ she _ never hurt me! Mal lied to me about everything! EVERYTHING! And I’m going to make her regret it... I’m going to make her regret ever  _ looking _ in my direction.”

“How?” Jay questioned him. This was one of the few times that Carlos lashed out in anger. Jay knew that he wasn’t playing around this time, and truthfully, he didn’t mind. He had a feeling that this had been a long time coming for Carlos. Mal never really treated him as a friend and more like a follower. He was so much more than how Mal treated him. Jay knew that his boyfriend was a kind soul, and didn’t like hurting people unless it was necessary. 

“We…” Carlos motioned to Jay and himself, “We... are going to have a chat with Uma.”

Jay raised an eyebrow and watched as Carlos’s chest heaved in anger. 

“...Okay.” Jay said as he stood up, “Let’s go have a chat with Uma. Maybe we can figure something out with her. Anyway, I think Harry and I have some catching up to do, too.” He couldn’t help but smirk as Carlos looked at him with interest. Jay was tired of being treated like some kind of lackey by Mal. His life, just like Carlos’s, had been perfectly fine before she appeared in it. He was happy with Harry and their midnight escapades. But the moment he and Harry caught Mal’s eye, it went downhill. It took a while before she even realized that he wasn’t interested in her. There had been many attempts by her to get him to sleep with her. He was lucky that she got over him before they went to Auradon, because who knows what she could’ve done with her spellbook.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Were you expecting that? I didn't want to add it to the tags because I wanted it to be a surprise. Tell me what you think! I enjoy reading your comments! The next chapter is going to be a bit rough so brace yourselves!
> 
> ~Kitty


	12. Blood for Blood

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I'm sorry for the wait! I had to hop on a plane home from college, then there was the holiday, and then I just finished college finals for the semester. It's been quite busy this past month, but I'm back! This chapter is a bit dark so please keep that in mind once you get to Ben's section of the chapter. I was tempted to be a bit more descriptive but decided to hold back.
> 
> ~Kitty
> 
> TW: Torture, Blood, Mention of child death

It took some time but before they knew it, Evie and Mal were outside of Lady Tremaine’s hair salon. In a rush of excitement, Evie quickly pushed her way through the hanging tarps. She looked around the place and her eyes landed on Dizzy. Evie let out a quiet gasp and glanced over to Mal.

“Shhh.” Evie said to Mal who nodded her head in response. Quietly, Evie placed her bag down on the table before her and snuck over to Dizzy. There were so many emotions coursing through her that she couldn’t take it anymore. Evie was practically vibrating with excitement. Just as she knelt down next to the young hairstylist, Dizzy glanced over to her.

“Evie?” Dizzy said in excitement. Her eyes went wide as she caught sight of the fashionista. 

“Evie, you came back!” Dizzy jumped out of her chair and gave Evie a big hug. She squealed quietly as Evie hugged her back with the same intensity.

“Awe, Dizzy! Hi!” Evie said happily. She couldn’t put into words how excited she was to see the little Tremaine again. It had been too long since she had the chance to see her. 

“Hey...So great to see you, too.” Mal said snidely from behind Dizzy. Evie narrowed her eyes at Mal but quickly turned her attention back to Dizzy.

“Is it all just like we imagined? Do they really have a closet you can walk into? Have you been to a real swimming pool? What does ice cream taste like-?!” The little Tremaine rushed out. Dizzy was very excited to see Evie. She always looked up to her as a role model and big sister, especially since she was an only child. 

“-It’s cold and it’s sweet. And if you eat it too fast, it gives you a headache.” Evie responded happily.

“Really?!” Dizzy gasped in awe. Ice cream wasn’t something they got on the Isle. 

“Yeah...” Evie chuckled. There was a brief silence as they observed each other before Dizzy jumped in place.

“Oh! I saved your sketchbook for you!” She ran towards the front of the store and pulled out a blue book from a pile. 

“You did?” Evie asked softly, as Dizzy ran back over and handed her the book.

“Dizzy… oh, my gosh...wow.” Evie opens her sketchbook, “I made this dress out of an old curtain and safety pins…”

“It reminds me of the dress you made for Mal when she met Jasmine.”

“...I spilled curry all over that.” Mal laughed awkwardly.

“You did.” Dizzy and Evie laughed together.

“You’re totally right Dizzy...this was totally the inspiration for that.” Evie grinned.

“I knew it! You can take the girl out of the Isle, but you can't take the Isle out of the girl.” Dizzy jumped forward and gave Evie a tight hug. Evie’s smile faltered as Dizzy’s words sunk in. Here she was telling Dizzy about the wonders of Auradon when she desperately wanted to show it to the little Tremaine instead. Her health was worrying Evie to the point it made her stomach tie in painful knots. Was she eating enough? Was she staying out of trouble? Did she have anyone to lean on? Evie teared up a bit as she let go of Dizzy. Clearing her throat, Evie reached for a little heart pendant and bracelet that caught her eye. She didn’t want Mal or Dizzy to notice she was upset. 

“Is this too much…” Evie asks as she moves the pendant around, “...or is this fabulous?” 

Evie could feel Dizzy hovering over her shoulder. It was at that moment Evie vowed to find out how Dizzy was doing and find a way to bring her to Auradon. 

“Hand me the glue gun!” Dizzy said cheerfully. Evie decided that she’d wait until Mal went back to the hideout before speaking to the little Tremaine.

***

Ben inhaled deeply while the girl in front of him re-tied his hands. Uma had turned to Ben in her fury and hissed that he was coming along with them. The pleasant conversation they had been having was quickly forgotten as Gil stuttered out the message he had been sent to deliver. He watched as Uma’s face became tense the moment Gil mentioned a broken promise. From that moment, all hopes of returning to a civil conversation died as Uma practically leaped over her desk and sprinted out the door. The moment she walked through the door, Ben could hear her shouting out commands.

Ben turned his focus back to the girl in front of him. Her clothes were ragged and a mess like everyone else’s on the Isle, but hers had a pirate feel to them. Fitting, since she was a pirate after all. _‘Except Uma and the two other guys...’_ Ben’s mind whispered. He couldn’t help but notice that their clothes looked way more put together than the others. They were pirates too, but Uma’s clothes looked like they had been handmade, which could be very likely. She didn’t seem like the type to wear shredded clothing, well, not overly shredded. The same could be said for Harry and Gil, although their clothes seemed dirtier than Uma’s.

There was a flurry of activity around Ben. From what he could understand from the conversation around him, a woman had made a deal with Uma that she had broken. Someone had broken their deal which Uma was not a fan of. Apparently, Uma took all of her deals seriously and it wasn’t something you wanted to break. That’s all they would let Ben know as of right now. He could understand taking deals seriously. He made them every day as King of Auradon, and he took them very seriously. But, there was something different about the way people whispered about this deal. There was something about it that Ben was missing, and it made him uneasy.

“Oi! Beasty!” Ben snapped out of his thoughts and looked up. The pirate who had entered Uma’s quarters while they were talking had called him. His name was Harry Hook. Now that Ben could see all of him, he could notice the resemblance. Red seemed to be Harry’s signature color as that’s all he seemed to be wearing except for his undershirt and pants. A red leather coat was draped over his shoulders, sleeveless, and showing off his delicious muscles. Ben cleared his throat and shook his head slightly.

“Yeah?” He asked pathetically. Harry raised an eyebrow at him and chuckled. People seemed to be doing that a lot to him, Ben noticed. Everyone seemed to find some amusement in his responses. 

“We’re leaving now, and you are coming with us. Though, I’m sure you already knew tha’ part.” Harry grinned as he threw an arm over his shoulders and gripped Ben’s shoulder tightly. Harry started to guide him forward and Ben almost purred when he could feel Harry’s muscles flexing against his back.

“...Where are we going?”

“WE...are going to your girlfriend’s old territ’ry to visit an acquaintance of ours. The boss wants you to be there, and I’m quite curious as to why.”

“Well, she said she was going to show me the Isle..” Harry started laughing like Ben had told him the funniest joke ever. Ben couldn’t help but think that his laugh was pleasant. Not just his laugh, but everything about the pirate seemed to attract the young King. His accent was unlike anything Ben had heard and he had been to many different places, other than Neverland of course. The fairies and Peter tended to come here whenever a meeting was necessary.

“She’s showing you the Isle alright.” Harry said after his laughter died down. Ben noticed that Harry seemed a bit too pleased about it.

***

Uma stood alone in an alleyway that was on the opposite side of the Isle. Mal’s old territory. The area smelled sweet with rot from the wood buildings that were collapsing around her. Not many of the buildings on the street were standing or safe to live in. The few that were looked as if any harsh wind would bring them tumbling down. A deep, guttural growl left golden lips as the sound of boots hitting the ground echoed through the alley. There was a dark feeling in the air tonight that made the rats flee in terror and cause the cats to hiss venomously. 

A cold wind blew her braids out of her face as Uma strode up to a green painted building. Lifting her leg, the latched door gave away with a loud crack as the wood splintered from being forced apart. The door banged against the wall but the loud sound didn’t deter the girl as she boldly walked into the darkness. She knew this place like the back of her hand. Finding her way to the stairs wasn’t an issue and she flipped the switch for the electricity.

Not even a few minutes later, the sound of more boots reached her ears along with the sound of pleading. Uma turned to the door with her arms crossed as Harry walked through while dragging a body behind him. His hand was firmly twisted through the hair of the woman who was desperately scratching at his hand. Behind Harry, Gil and Ben carefully walked in trying to avoid the women flailing feet. Ben looked to be deep in thought as Harry threw the woman to the floor. She shrieked and tried to get up but Harry slammed his foot down onto her stomach. She gasped in pain silently, showing that he had knocked the wind out of her. 

Gil came forward and shackled her hands behind her back with the rusty cuffs that were hooked into the ground. Uma watched Ben who shifted awkwardly from one foot to the other while watching this. He was uncomfortable, and Uma couldn’t help but sigh. The young King had never been exposed to something like this. Tonight, she'd change his outlook on the world.

“Hello, Genevive.” The girl snapped her head up in horror. Uma was pleased to see the terror in her eyes. She could feel her boys' eyes on her as she descended the stairs and stopped in front of the girl.

“I heard you’ve been a bad girl by breaking promises, huh?” Uma cooed at the girl. She aggressively shook her head as tears ran down her eyes. Uma sighed and indicated to Harry who placed his hook at Genevive’s throat. There was no way she would be getting out of this.

“Let’s try this again...I know what you did...and it’s unforgivable.” With another indication of her head, Harry sliced his hook across the girl’s arm drawing blood. She flinched letting out a whimper as the blood flowed down her arm. The metallic smell tickled Ben's nose and replaced the sickly sweet smell of rotting wood.

“Remind me again, Gen.” Uma said softly, “What was our promise?”

Ben watched in morbid fascination as Uma worked on the girl in front of her. There were no words exchanged between her and Harry, but the pirate seemed to know exactly what she wanted. With just a movement of her head, Harry made another cut on the girl’s body. He had seen the place that they had brought her from. It was a little rundown building that smelled strongly of decay that made Ben's stomach churn in disgust. Harry had yanked her from her bed, and the girl had screamed and thrashed as he dragged her out of there. Anyone who was outside as they walked past ran in fear, not for their own lives, but for what they knew she had done. It smelled different, tinged with a sour smell of disgust. It intrigued Ben. Ever since getting to the Isle, he's been more exposed to his beast side. Usually, he's more subdued with his instincts, but now he felt more in-tune with himself. It was refreshing but also a bit alarming. Things that should disgust him actually catch his attention. Ben didn't really have a moment to sit down and think.

Gil was standing just behind Ben. He was the backup and babysitter, just in case anything went wrong. Gil had told him so as they pulled him along through alleys and buildings. Even before they had grabbed the girl, people moved out of their way. Not out of fear though, but out of respect. The Isle was foreign to Ben. All of the buildings were old and rundown just like the clothes that the people wore. It confused Ben's mind. His father had told him that everyone on the Isle had everything that they needed. Why had he lied? Did his father know what was happening here? 

A yelp brought Ben’s attention back to the pirates in front of him. 

“WHAT...was our promise. I won’t ask again.” Uma hissed. Ben couldn’t just see her anger, but he could smell it too. It was rolling off of her in waves, just like the fear from the girl kneeling in front of her. 

“I...I was to-to set them free. I was to set them free! T-To give them to Jess.” The girl mumbled out. Her scratchy voice was unpleasant to Ben’s ears. He didn't like her. She smelled wrong.

“And did you?” Uma asked calmly. If Ben’s senses didn’t tell him any better, he would have believed her too. 

“...N-o. I lied about it.” The girl whispered. Uma glared down at the girl and snarled. Ben sucked in a breath as a shiver went down his spine.

“So...Genevive…” Uma was circling her now looking very predatory, “...What did you do instead? What did you do to those poor kids?” Not only did Uma look predatory, but she felt like it too. Ben shifted his weight and took a deep breath to keep himself from growling in response.

The girl, Genevive, shifted uneasily in her chains. It almost seemed like she wasn’t going to answer until laughter left her lips. Ben’s eyes widened hearing the crackling in her voice as her laughter became a wheeze. Uma had paused behind the girl and was looking at Ben with an unreadable expression. It sent a chill down his spine as Harry advanced forward and grabbed Genevive by the hair. A hiss left her lips but Ben watched as Uma slowly walked in front of the girl. 

“I killed them!” The girl snarled angrily, “I KILLED THOSE RATS AND LEFT THEIR BODIES TO ROT! THEY'RE NOTHING BUT RATS! TAKING FOOD AND PRECIOUS SPACE! SQUEAKING IN MY EARS THAT THEIR STOMACHS HURT!” Ben felt his body go cold. He couldn’t hear what else was said nor could he hear the screams coming from the other girl as Harry aggressively slashed at her body.

Children. The girl in front of him had killed children. She had called them rats. Rats. To her, they weren’t children...they were vermin. They were...dead. How? How could that happen? Surely, someone kept an eye on the children? _‘Who are you kidding, Ben?! This is the Isle! No one gives a damn about what’s going on here! No one except...no one except-’_

“-me…” Ben breathed out in realization. He was the only one from Auradon who seemed to care about what happened here other than Evie and the gang… _‘That’s why Uma brought me along. Uma knows I must have some care towards the Isle’s citizens if I had brought a few to Auradon.’_

Ben could feel his heart pounding in his chest as his eyes watched Harry work. There was a lot more blood on the ground than he remembered. Uma was just watching as more blood pooled on the floor. Her face was expressionless once again as Ben heard her click her tongue. Harry instantly backed away from the shaking body on the floor. Ben fought against himself. He wanted to bare his teeth at the girl and show her his displeasure. Being on the Isle made it harder to fight his instincts.

“Rats, huh? Well, I think that’s fitting...You’re lucky, Genevive!” Uma said cheerfully. Ben swallowed hard. He could sense it...the dark, cold fury surrounding her. Not just from her, but from Harry and Gil too. It was brushing against him like the wind, surrounding him, and it was only broken by the unease coming from Genevive.

“We’re not going to kill you… We’re going to leave you for the rats.” Uma grinned darkly. Harry broke away from his captain and walked over to Ben and Gil. He wiped the blood on his hook off onto his coat and stopped next to Ben. Ben had discovered that Harry had a pleasant scent on their way here. He smelled like spiced rum and danger, which had a very sharp edge to it. It made his beast purr, but now it was tainted with the metallic smell of blood.

“No!” Genevive yelled desperately, “No! Just kill me!” 

Uma walked to the stairs and placed her hand on a switch. Ben felt himself get pulled backward and was turned around by Harry who gave him a quick grin. Quickly, he was guided out of the building just as he heard screaming behind him. Ben snapped his head around to look behind him and saw that the building was dark.

“NO! UMA, PLEASE! I’M SORRY, PLEASE! DON’T LEAVE ME HERE! FUCKING KILL ME, YOU BITCH!” The only response that followed was a dark chuckle as Uma appeared out of the darkness. Closing the door behind her, the screams were muffled slightly. Unfortunately, Ben's hearing made it easier to notice.

“Let’s head back home, shall we?” Uma gave them a sweet smile. Ben couldn’t stop the way his heart skipped a beat nor the way his inner beast was adoring such a powerful woman.


	13. Estranged Reunions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This past holiday had been a bit stressful. I have a family member in the hospital so I apologize for the late update. I really enjoyed writing this chapter! I'm kinda sad that I'm already a little more than halfway done with the story. This is a longer chapter than usual, so I hope you enjoy it! Let me know what you think!
> 
> Warning: Mentions of Murder
> 
> ~Kitty

Evie watched as Mal gathered the rest of the chemicals and headed out of the salon. She had told Mal that she was going to hang back with Dizzy and get some advice about new designs. Mal, who hated anything that had to do with fashion, quickly decided to take her leave. Once the door swung shut, Evie turned to Dizzy who was happily humming to herself. Evie smiled slightly at the little girl twirling in circles. Six months didn’t feel like forever on Auradon but it definitely did when you were on the Isle. Too many things could take place in a single day.

Evie watched as Dizzy stumbled in her next twirl and let out a small chuckle. Dizzy looked up at her, smiled, and skipped over to her. 

“I still can’t believe you’re back, Evie!” Dizzy squealed. She slipped into the chair next to Evie who sat down across from her.

“Honestly, neither can I, but we came here for an important reason.” Evie tucked her hands in her lap. She was nervous. What could have happened to Dizzy in the time that she was gone? It would be all her fault for leaving her behind. 

“Ooo is it for a secret mission?!” Dizzy gasped. 

“Something like that.” Evie giggled and then took a deep breath, “Hey, um, Dizzy? I am so sorry for leaving you behind. I didn’t have a choice to stay, but I would have if I did. I really need to know if you’re okay. Did anything happen while I was gone? Were you able to protect yourself?”

“...Evie, it’s okay! I understand that you had to leave, and even if you had a choice, I’d still tell you to go! One of us getting off the Isle is better than two of us being stuck here. Truthfully, there has been a huge change since you left and it’s the whole reason I’m okay.” Evie straightened upon hearing that and looked at Dizzy in interest. 

“What has changed since I left? I haven’t seen the whole Isle but some things do feel different about the place.”

“Uma changed. After Maleficent left the Isle in an attempt to get Fairy Godmother’s wand and failed, her position as _Queen of the Isle_ was up for grabs. Your mother tried to capture the title, which caused a lot of issues between her and all of the other villains. They fought each other for it and ended up pulling their children and grandchildren into it too. For months, the fighting continued. Many sidekicks and henchmen were killed along with some children. It was horrible, Evie.”

“One day, word spread through the Isle that Uma had vanished from the docks and headed inland in the dead of night. It was a quiet day. There were no henchmen in the streets, and the children were left alone...and that day is now called Insurrection Day. The bodies of Jafar, Cruella, Mother Gothel, Governor Ratcliffe, and your mother were discovered in their homes… Everyone knew it was Uma who had done it. It was her handiwork... It was like a weight was lifted off of the Isle. Everyone was in awe of her and her bravery.”

“Uma...Uma killed my mother?” Evie said softly while shifting her feet. She didn’t know that her mother was dead, but it explained why she didn’t come searching for her. Evie knew her arrival to the Isle wouldn’t stay a secret, and that’s why she wanted to get in and out as soon as possible. This information changed everything. Her mother...no, her abuser was dead and she had Uma to thank for it.

“Yes, she did… and she’s the new Queen of the Isle. Many on the Isle respect her for all that she has done for us in the past six months. I’m under her protection. She’s the reason I have a chair in the salon and money saved. She’s keeping all of the children safe and giving us a chance! Harry comes in every once in a while for a wellness check to make sure that my grandmother is treating me fairly. He’s- He’s actually really sweet for a deranged pirate. Mal ruined the last one when she showed up to get her hair done.”

“Wow, Dizzy that’s...that’s amazing! I’m so thankful that you’re being looked after! How did Mal ruin the last visit? Also, I was going to say, what did Mal do to you to get such a horrible look?” Evie laughed reaching out to pull Dizzy into a hug.

“Harry couldn’t break his reputation by being all soft in front of Mal. So, he just took the money and left. I wasn’t able to give him an update. It’s alright because my grandmother isn’t being overly harsh, but it puts Uma’s plans back a bit. And Mal? I hate her! She had the chance to advocate for more of us to be brought to Auradon, but she hasn’t. She hasn’t done anything to help even though she’s dating the King of Auradon!”

Evie sighed and nodded along with what Dizzy was saying. She wasn’t wrong at all. No matter how much the three of them pushed her to talk to Ben about speeding up the admission process, Mal refused. 

“I don’t blame you, Dizzy. I really don’t. I’m not sure I want to be friends with Mal any longer. Hell, I wasn’t even friends with her in the first place. Not like friends are supposed to be anyway… I’m glad you’re okay, and it looks like I’ll be paying a visit to Uma tomorrow.”

“I’ll come with you! In the meantime, why don’t you crash here? I have another bed in my room and grandmother won’t notice. Besides, I’d love to catch up!” Dizzy was grinning like crazy right now, which spread to Evie who also started grinning.

“Okay, I’ll take you up on that offer.”

“Yay! My first sleepover!” 

***

Carlos knew that he couldn’t show any fear as he marched his way down to the docks. The Isle was full of sharks who would strike the moment he let his guard down. The strange thing was that he didn’t feel any fear, just a wave of simmering anger. Ever since last night's conversation with Mal about Ben being kidnapped took place, Carlos could not get over it. There were things in his mind that he could finally see that he didn’t want to. The memories were painful: Uma lurking around corners to accompany Carlos to school and back. The two of them jumping into the sea to rescue Evie’s sketchbook from a watery grave. Harry teasing Carlos for being so terrified of dogs, and Jay pushing Harry overboard. Even Carlos and Gil plotting different ways they could get Gaston to eat eggs other than hard-boiled.

When Carlos’ mom told him that they’d be moving in with Maleficent, he was ripped away from an enjoyable life and forced to be something he wasn’t. While Carlos did get lucky with Jay and Evie being there as well, everything else they had found happiness in was sidelined for Mal and her mother. Even the sword Hook had gifted him was confiscated, and he wasn’t able to get it before he left. Just because Carlos acted like he was scared of everything didn’t mean he was defenseless. 

Carlos sighed as his boots hit the wooden dock and he paused. Jay stopped next to him and they looked out to Uma’s ship. It was one of the few that was docked but it was unable to sail like the rest of them. It had become a safe haven for many children on the Isle who needed a couple of hours of safety. If anyone tried to cause trouble with someone under Uma’s protection, even if it was temporary, they’d get a whole pirate crew coming at them. Speaking of the crew, Carlos could see them swinging around and practicing their skills. It looked like everyone was there this morning. Their arrival would be a known secret on the Isle by the next morning.

With nothing but a look shared between them, Carlos and Jay squared their shoulders and strode down the dock with their heads held high. Many sailors and dock workers looked up at them with sneers that quickly changed to surprise. Whispers quickly came around echoing that Jay and Carlos had returned. For Carlos, it wasn’t difficult to block out the whispers as he heard the shouts of their arrival sound from their destination. The loud thumps and thuds of boots hitting the deck and howls from the pirate crew made Carlos realize that there was no turning back now. With another shout, it was no surprise to Carlos that they were stopped on the dock that connected to Uma’s ship. No one was allowed aboard unless they were welcomed or brought up, well, dragged up.

“Well, well, well. Look who we have here!” Harry Hook sat perched on the side of the ship. His legs dangled over the side and he kicked them back and forth like a bored child. 

“Hello, Harry.” Carlos said cooly. He crossed his arms and made eye-contact with the deranged man, “I need an audience with Captain Uma.” Carlos could feel all of the crew’s eyes on him and Jay, but he didn’t dare remove his gaze from Harry. The pirate raised his eyebrow when he heard Carlos call her Captain. Calling Uma by her title was showing a high amount of respect. He had to make sure that his demand got through. He couldn’t be turned away without getting some answers. He was sure that Uma would be open to talking to him, albeit a little frosty.

“If you’re here to beg for the little king back, I’m afraid I can’t let you.” Harry cooed while tapping his hook against the ship.

“We’re not here for him.” Jay’s voice sounded, “Carlos is here for Uma, and I’m here for you.” That caused Harry to pull his gaze away from Carlos and narrow his eyes at Jay.

“You’re here for Lit’le Ol’ Me? I’m flatter’d, Jay.” Harry chuckled, his accent coming out thicker than usual. There was a pause as Harry observed them. Carlos twitched his fingers nervously as Harry hummed to himself before he grinned widely. With a flick of his fingers, the noise level on the ship roared back up as they resumed their work.

“PARTY OF TWO FOR CAPTAIN UMA!” Sounded from one of the crewmates. Carlos let out a breath in relief and grinned at Jay who smiled back at him.

“Alrigh’ you two,” There was a thump as Harry kicked the rope ladder down, “Welcome aboard the Lost Revenge. Keep your hands and feet aboard at all times, or you might just lose ‘em.”

***

Uma was pleasantly entertained by Ben’s reaction to her sitting on his lap. His eyes had darkened as he looked at her in a mixture of shock and want. They had been having a regular conversation at first that had slowly taken a turn. After what had happened last night, Ben demanded to know what was going on, so Uma told him. He knew about the severe illnesses, malnourishment, overcrowding, child abuse, and just about everything else. Ben’s reaction was everything she had hoped it would be. The disgust, horror, shock, and anger was exactly what she needed. It was quickly followed by shame and regret, but that changed when Uma leaned over and ran her hand down the side of his face. 

Ben’s breath had gotten caught as he looked her in the eyes. A smirk slid onto Uma’s face as she leaned back and observed the young king. Ben had then cleared his throat and asked her to sit with him instead of across from him. Uma decided to indulge his request and took a seat on his lap which led to their situation now. His arms wrapped around her waist to keep her steady, while one of hers was casually draped across his shoulders. 

Uma wouldn’t lie and say that she wasn’t attracted to him. She and Harry had that very conversation last night while Ben slept. Harry knew the look in his Captain’s eyes and she could tell the same with him. They were intrigued by him and he was a treasure that they couldn’t let get away. There was something different about Ben. Something that brought an ominous feeling of danger into their minds. A danger that thrilled them to the core. 

“I hope you don’t mind me sitting here, Ben.” Uma cooed at him. She watched as he took a deep breath, Ben’s hold on her briefly tightening before relaxing. 

“No, I don’t mind. A little surprised, but I don’t mind at all.” Ben gave her a strained smile. Uma raised an eyebrow and shifted her position to straddle him instead. A very soft growl left Ben’s lips that sent electricity down her spine. 

“That’s good because you’re more comfortable than any chair. I wouldn’t mind sitting like this for a while.” Uma watched as the innocence in Ben's eyes took on a sharper and more teasing edge. His hands moved to grab at her hips and his breathing deepened.

“I wouldn’t mind you sitting on my lap either, Uma. After all, a Goddess deserves only the best.” Ben said softly as Uma’s eyes widened. Her response was cut off by the sound of Bonny’s voice announcing an arrival, “PARTY OF TWO FOR CAPTAIN UMA!”

Uma glanced at the door and sighed before looking back at Ben. 

“Another time, Your Highness.” Uma teased before Ben let go of her hips and she stood up to sit back down in her chair. 

The sound of boots approaching the door caught Ben’s attention as the foot patterns sounded familiar to him. He couldn’t place it properly as the other footfalls threw his concentration off. 

There was a knock at the door and Uma called for the people to enter. As the door started to open, she watched as Ben turned in his seat to see who was there. Harry appeared in the doorway with a grin on his face. 

“Captain, you have some very interesting visitors.” Harry said. He stood still for a minute before Uma waved him aside to let the visitors in. With another grin, Harry shifted to the side allowing Uma’s eyes to see Carlos and Jay behind him. Ben shot out of his chair with a strangled shout of “Guys?!” as Uma raised an eyebrow. 

Carlos and Jay stepped into the room and closed the door behind them. Carlos had a serious look on his face that flickered to confusion when he saw Ben. 

“Wow!” Uma chuckled, “When I heard that Mal had returned I didn’t think that you guys had come back too. What can I do for you? Here to make a deal?” Uma motioned to Harry who moved another chair in front of her desk. With a slight shove from behind, Carlos and Jay sat in the two empty seats while Harry stood guard by the door.

“Uma, I didn’t come here to make a deal or ask for Ben back. No offense, Ben...but I needed to talk to you. See, last night...after your crew took Ben; Mal, Jay, Evie, and I were trying to figure out what to do. During the conversation, I came to realize that Mal doesn’t care about Ben. And, that she also doesn’t care about us or the Isle. You do.” Carlos took a deep breath before continuing, “We used to be the best of friends before Maleficent pulled us apart. You and me, Jay and Harry...We were all a part of the same crew. I want that back. Jay, Evie, and I have been trying to get her to talk to Ben about allowing more children from the Isle into Auradon. She turned us down every time.”

“And what do you think I can do about that?” Uma questioned. 

“You’re already doing something about it. Ben wouldn’t be here if you weren’t. We’re offering to help you achieve your goals...our goals...in exchange for our friendships back.” It was quiet in the room. You could hear the footsteps out on the deck and the laughter from the crew. Uma started to drum her fingers on the desk as she looked from Carlos to Jay and then to Ben, who nodded at her. 

“You know, Carlos… You’ve always been part of the crew. Jay, too. Even after Mal swept you away, we still looked out for you.” Uma paused and motioned to Harry before looking back at the boys in front of her, “Alright, I accept your proposal.” The three of them broke out in grins causing Uma to raise an eyebrow. A knock sounded at the door and Harry opened it showing a happy Gil.

“Hey, Uma… You’ve got a couple more visitors.” Gil said as he walked in with Evie and Dizzy behind him. Uma smiled at the little Tremaine who was practically bouncing on her feet. 

“Dizzy!” Uma stood and opened her arms for a hug. Dizzy rushed over and gave the pirate a tight hug. 

“Uma…” Evie started softly, “I can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done. Especially with my mother and I want to help get the kids off of the Isle and to Auradon.” 

Uma looked Evie up and down before glancing at Dizzy who enthusiastically nodded her head. Uma chuckled and shook her head before looking at everyone.

“Alright... Let’s get to planning.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you expect them to be dead? I thought it was a plot hole that never got filled. What had happened to the rest of Maleficent's crew after D1? Well, they're dead now. Annnd, the gang's all here! The next chapter is where it all goes down. That chapter will definitely be one of my longer ones. Until the next chapter!
> 
> ~Kitty


End file.
